The Lorena is ready for its 49th season of cruises on the Muskingum River. (Credit: Ken Drenten)

By Ken Drenten

The sternwheel cruise boat Lorena launches its 49th season of rides on the Muskingum River this week in Zanesville, and the sternwheelers Valley Gem and Major/Riviera are serving passengers in Marietta.

The Lorena, which is handicap accessible and can accommodate 45 passengers, is scheduling tours from June 6 through Oct. 10. Many special public cruises are available, including a Classic Rock Party Cruise (June 19), Kids Cruise with Mickey (June 21), Independence Day Cruise (July 4), Dinner Cruise (July 11), Civil War Reenactment Cruises (multiple times July 19), OSU Pep Rally Cruise (August 29), Kids Cruise with Spiderman (Sept. 6) and many more special event cruises. The sternwheeler is also available for private charter cruises.

The name of the boat stems from a song, “Lorena,” published in 1857, that told the tale of unrequited love between a young man and young woman. The song had its roots in the real-life experience of a Zanesville church pastor and a member of the church choir. He told the young woman he would marry her if the church grew in numbers to allow him to support her. Alas, the church membership did not grow as expected and the young woman moved on.

The sentimental song became popular during the Civil War and made soldiers on both sides of the war homesick.

The song goes, in part, “Oh, the years creep slowly by, Lorena/The snow is on the ground again/The sun’s low down the sky, Lorena/The frost gleams where the flow’rs have been/But the heart beats on as warmly now/As when the summer days were nigh/Oh, the sun can never dip so low/A-down affection’s cloudless sky.”

The Lorena makes regular excursions on the Muskingum River from Zane’s Landing Park in downtown Zanesville. (Credit: Ken Drenten)

Although the Lorena does not lock through on the Muskingum River, the Muskingum River Parkway State Park is the only remaining system of hand-operated locks in the nation and is on the National Register of Historic Places. These historic locks are located at Devola, Lowell, Beverly, Luke Chute, Stockport, McConnelsville, Rokeby, Philo, Zanesville and Ellis — extending from Zanesville to Marietta. A boat ramp is located in McConnelsville. Recreational boats can use all but one of the locks (Ellis #11 Lock) on the river.

In Marietta, the Valley Gem has been in service since 1973, and the newly acquired Major/Riviera began service just last year. The Valley Gem can accommodate 290 passengers.

The Valley Gem makes an evening cruise near Marietta on the Ohio River. (Credit: Ken Drenten)

The Major is a sternwheel towboat built in 1928, and the Riviera is a passenger barge. Together, the Major/Riviera work as one unit and will be taking both public and private tours on the Ohio River. The Riviera holds 149 passengers with two decks, with a wide variety of dinner cruises, dinner theatre cruises, sightseeing tours and music cruises.

The Valley Gem and Major/Riviera offer a huge variety of cruise events available from early spring through the holiday season. The Marietta cruises include both Ohio River and Muskingum River cruises, including cruises that use locks on both rivers.

To make reservations for Zanesville cruises, go to the Lorena Sternwheeler website. For more information, go to their Facebook page. The Lorena is moored at Zane’s Landing Park in downtown Zanesville. More information: (740) 607-1870.

To make reservations for Marietta cruises, go to the Valley Gem Sternwheeler website or call (740) 373-7862. Cruises depart from downtown Marietta.

Read more: Roscoe Village: America’s Canal Town – April 29, 2025

Stockport Mill Inn has picturesque spot on Muskingum River – July 5, 2024

Learn about more canal-related attractions in Dusty Tires.

Ken Drenten is creator and editor of Dusty-Tires.com, a travel blog for out-of-the-ordinary places in Ohio.

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