The Legacy of Memphis Riverboats

Memphis Riverboats, formerly Memphis Queen Line, was a family-run business primarily owned by Capt. Jake Meanley and his sister Capt. Dale Lozier. It began in 1955 with the Memphis Queen II, a two-deck sternwheeler built for Capt. Ed Langford, which was sold in 1960 to Capt. Tom Meanley, a Memphis Press-Scimitar photographer. Tom, initially believing he had bought a summer job, later expanded the business full-time with the help of his wife Carol and children Jake and Dale. In 1964, they launched the 600-passenger party barge Memphis Showboat, followed by the 65-passenger Belle Carol in 1967. Tom also designed and built several vessels, including the 65-foot yacht LORAC and the 300-passenger Memphis Queen III in 1978. In 1984, the Island Queen, a 300-passenger triple-deck sternwheeler, was completed. Capt. Tom retired in 1996 after selling most of the business to Jake and Dale, who continued to grow it with the help of friend Jimmy Ogle. Capt. Dale’s sons, John and William, joined the business, with William eventually purchasing it in 2005, updating and refurbishing the fleet, now known as Memphis Riverboats.

Memphis Riverboats Cruises

We offer riverboat cruises in Downtown Memphis on the Mississippi River. See the sights & sounds of the river by booking a cruise below.