Delta King — Photo: J.Smith

We recently posted that the National Trust for Historic Preservation has named the 1926 built sternwheel steamboat Delta Queen as one of America’s 11-Most Endangered Historic Places.  In researching the post, I learned several new things. The first was that the “Delta” in Delta Queen, which I had always assumed was referring to the Mississippi River Delta, was in fact, the San Joaquin River Delta.  The other thing I learned is that, in addition to the Delta Queen, there is also a Delta King, now a dockside restaurant, bar, theater and hotel in Old Sacramento, CA.

The two identical paddle wheel steamers were built for the California Transportation Company of San Francisco to carry passengers along the California coast. The steamers were originally built at the William Deny and Brothers yard in Dumbarton, Scotland, then taken apart to be carried by ship to San Francisco and then by barge to Stockton California, where they were reassembled in 1926 at the Banner Island shipyard.

The paddlewheel shaft and the cranks were forged at the Krupp Stahlwerke AG, Germany. The cross compound condensing engines were designed by the Charles H. Evans Company of San Francisco in 1925 but built in Scotland. Two oil-fired water tube boilers were acquired from unused, surplus machinery intended for World War I, U.S. Navy destroyers.

From 1927 to 1940, the Delta King and Delta Queen ran on the so called “Delta Route” from Sacramento to San Joaquin River Delta, the delta which gave the steamers their names.  They were nicknamed the “Million Dollar  Steamers,” only a slight exaggeration over the $875,000 that each cost to build. At the time, they were said to be the most lavishly appointed and expensive sternwheel passenger boats ever commissioned. They were finally forced out of business by the opening of new highways between Sacramento with San Francisco.

The sister steamers were chartered by the Navy for use as temporary barrack in 1940.  The Delta King and Delta Queen were then briefly purchased by Isbrandsten Steamship Company, which planned to move both vessels to the Mississippi. World War II intervened, however and the steamers were both requisition by the Navy, serving as barracks and hospital transport vessels.

After the war, the Delta Queen was purchased by the Greene Line and sent to carry passengers on the great inland rivers. The Delta King had a more varied career. She served as longing for Aluminium Company of Canada workers in British Columbia.  Her engine and boiler were removed and sold to the Greene Line as spares for the the Delta Queen. She was briefly featured in the 1959 MGM film “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.”  During the 60s and 70s, she had a variety of owners. She sank and was re-floated twice and was moved up and down the coast of California for use in various ventures.

In 1985, restoration began on the Delta King and in 1989, the old boat reopened in Old Sacramento. It is described by its website as “a beautiful riverboat hotel with modern lodging amenities, 2 outstanding restaurants offering casual and fine dining, entertainment, 2 professional theaters, a wine school and exceptional facilities for weddings, banquets, and meetings.”