Learning & Entertainment

History of Lambertville-New Hope

(45 minutes, no charge)

Starting with the Native Americans who lived here, our local historian relates how the towns’ industrial history has mirrored the history of our nation. Your view of historic Lambertville, from onboard a replica of an 1880 sternwheeler, will make your guide’s narration come alive. This resilient town once made wagon wheel spokes, then locomotives, as our nation pushed westward. What other industries rose and fell here? Today, the City is vibrant in art, resplendent with beautiful homes and classy restaurants on tree-lined streets.

Guide from Lambertville Historical Society sharing the fascinating history of the area

Roy Justice,  The Singing Historian  

(60-90 minutes, $275)

Add to your Steamboat Adventure experience! Engage Roy Justice – The Singing Historian, to entertain your guests with songs and stories from America’s past. You choose from many program topics and tailor the afternoon to your group’s interests. With Roy aboard, history-telling and music combine to create a unique event experience as you sing America’s songs and hear about our amazing country’s history.

Visit www.royhjustice.com for a list of program topics, or contact him at (717) 264-0864 with your questions. 

History of the New Hope Impressionists

(60 minutes, $50)

Your guide to this intriguing part of history is a docent at the Michener Art Museum.

New Hope and the surrounding area developed an artist colony starting in the late 1890’s. This group was called the New Hope Impressionists and was comprised of 20 to 30 artists. We will discuss why the colony developed here and review the history of this art colony over the following 100 years.

The New Hope Impressionists focused on landscapes and we will discuss how the Delaware River, the New Hope area and the small villages along the river became major focal points for their compositions. These sites in the New Hope area became a major inspiration for the artists. During our cruise we will pass a number of these sites.