12
Aug
2015
LeClaire, Iowa. The public is invited to the Buffalo Bill Museum, 199 Front Street, LeClaire, Iowa, on Sunday, August 23 at 1pm for the dedication of the 1939 Chris Craft Runabout donated by the Suiter family in the River Pilot's Pier. Light refreshments will be served.
With legendary local banker and river enthusiast Glen Suiter's passing in May of 2013, the Suiter family has decided to honor Glen and his passion for boating, the Mississippi River, and the rich history that the LeClaire Buffalo Bill Museum in LeClaire, Iowa offers visitors. The Suiter Family has generously donated Glen's historical, artisan Chris Craft wooden boat for display at the museum to add to their growing collection of fascinating cultural artifacts.
The artisan (Pre-War) 1939 Chris Craft Utility Series 15.5' Runabout was built to fare the lakes and rivers of a nation moving up stream. Chris Smith, founder of the company that would one day bear his name, started his business with the vision of building a boat that was as versatile and reliable as the public demanded it. Originally intended for hunters and fishermen, the Chris Craft line soon expanded eventually earning it the distinction as the largest mahogany boat manufacturer in the world. With the United States recovering from the pains of the Great Depression, Chris Craft built the Utility Series to be both practical and affordable. During the years of World War II, Navy sailors became familiar with Chris Craft designs as the company produced more than 10,000 wooden landing craft for WWII vessels to aid in the war effort.
The boat donated to the Buffalo Bill Museum in LeClaire, Iowa by the Suiter family is a fully restored example of the American craftsmanship that to this day sets a Chris Craft apart. The JV II, as this vessel was named, was powered by an original Gray Marine 4-cylinder engine that produced 60 HP allowing it to reach a top speed of 40 mph. In 1971, Chris Craft discontinued their mahogany hulls, "woodys" as they were called, for newer fiberglass designs.
The "woodys" soon became highly sought after by collectors and boat enthusiasts alike. The JV II, like its neighbor, the Lone Star Wooden Hull Stream-powered Vessel, spent its final operating years along the banks of the Mighty Mississippi. How fitting it is to be back in the port of LeClaire along side another wooden hull vessel of such great distinction.
Today, the museum welcomes nearly 22,000 visitors a year from all over the United States and at least 20 foreign countries. It operates 7 days a week, primarily through the efforts of volunteers, and remains a popular tourist destination along the I-80 corridor.
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