From the archives: Two Ashland Oil boats

I was able to grab some time on a scanner yesterday, so I scanned about a dozen river photos from the 1970s and 1980s. Some of them turned out okay, but some didn't. Maybe next time I'll read the instruction book. I hear that usually  helps.

So, here are two photos of old Ashland Oil boats.

(Reminder: These photographs are copyright by me, Jim Ross, and shall not be reproduced without my written permission).

This is the Aetna-Louisville preparing to lock through the Gallipolis Locks and Dam in late summer 1978 or 1979. That's based on a couple of other photos in the packet I found this one in.

I kind of liked the Aetna-Louisville and its twin, the Allied-Ashland. From what I understand, the Aetna-Louisville was dismantled a few  years ago, and the Allied-Ashland was sold to South America about five years ago.

Look behind the Aetna-Louisville and you'll see people enjoying the river bank. Dare I call it a beach? The spot was popular with people who wanted to fish, including those who brought a tent for an overnight stay. And you could get close to the boats as they entered and left the locks. But the beach was removed when the new lock canal was built there in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

This next photo is the old Valvoline.

This was an old boat that I liked seeing when it passed through the area. It, too, was dismantled a few years ago.

I remember riding the new Valvoline in 1988 when David Smith was the captain. We arrived at the Gallipolis locks after dark, and they were locking through three up and one down. We had to wait a little longer than expected because the old Valvoline, then with another name, had gotten there upbound and moved ahead of us in the queue.