LeRoy Gates, The Dells Boat Tours

LeRoy Gates, The Dells Boat Tours

The dells region remained primarily a place for sightseers to escape the bustle of the city for many decades. In 1856, Leroy Gates began taking tourists on boat tours of the Wisconsin Dells. These tours were given using wooden rowboats until 1873 when the first steamboat, the Modocawanda, was used. By 1894, distillate-powered tour boats began to be used. In 1908, the Kilbourn Dam was installed by what is now Alliant Energy, over the protests from people such as H. H. Bennett, separating the Dells into the Upper and Lower Dells.

Since the time of LeRoy Gates, the Dells Boat Tours have gone through many operators. Some of the previous companies were The Riverview Boat Line, The Olson Boat Line (owned by Jack B. Olson), The Dells Boat Company, the Consolidated Boat Company and the Silver Dollar Boat Line.

A few other events of interest took place during this time, including the June 16, 1911 impact of a 772-gram stony meteorite in rural Columbia County near the city, damaging a barn. (From wikipedia.com)

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Click Here to go back to the main page LeRoy Gates, The Dells Boat Tours The dells region remained primarily a place for sightseers to escape the bustle of the city for many decades. In 1856, Leroy Gates began taking tourists on boat tours of the Wisconsin Dells. These tours were given using wooden rowboats until 1873 when the first steamboat, the Modocawanda, was used. By 1894, distillate-powered tour boats began to be used. In 1908, the Kilbourn Dam was installed by what is now Alliant Energy, over the protests from people such as H. H. Bennett, separating the Dells into the Upper and Lower Dells. Since the time of LeRoy Gates, the Dells Boat Tours have gone through many operators. Some of the previous companies were The Riverview Boat Line, The Olson Boat Line (owned by Jack B. Olson), The Dells Boat Company, the Consolidated Boat Company and the Silver Dollar Boat Line. A few other events of interest took place during this time, including the June 16, 1911 impact of a 772-gram stony meteorite in rural Columbia County near the city, damaging a barn. (From wikipedia.com)