Dear Russell,
This may be your lucky day if you are interested in buying a piece of history, because the S.S. President is still where it was when last I told its story -- on the Yazoo River in Mississippi. And it is still for sale. It is owned by Isle of Capri Casinos Inc.; for a while, the company was offering it for sale for half a million dollars and then upped the price to $1 million. However, due to lack of interest, Capri is now entertaining all offers.

For the benefit of those who might have missed out on a Gambit that week, I'll retell a bit of the story of this riverboat that was listed on the National register of Historic Places and designated a National Historic Landmark on Dec. 20, 1989.

The ship was built in 1924 and was used to carry freight and passengers from Cincinnati to Louisville, Ky. Then it was acquired by the Streckfus Company in 1929, and by 1934 it had been converted to a luxurious excursion boat -- the biggest and grandest in America. Originally called the Cincinnati, it was renamed the S.S. President and practically rebuilt. A ballroom and bandstand were added. Because of this addition, the President drew large crowds to listen to the likes of Louis Armstrong and dance the night away.

The steamboat went tramping up and down the river, and by the end of World War II, New Orleans became her permanent home. In 1985, the boat was sold and returned to St. Louis, where it became a popular attraction for a while. In 1990, the S.S. President went on her last dinner-and-dancing cruise; the boat got a new purpose when it was converted to a huge floating casino. When Iowa legalized riverboat gambling, the S.S. President headed for Davenport.

But now, this once-favorite venue for Jazz Fest concerts and popular nightspot sits unwanted. Doesn't anyone want to give an old riverboat a home?

Hey Blake,
Recently we parked on Napoleon Avenue while going to Casamento's for some good P&J's oysters and noticed a tile marker at 727 Napoleon Ave. that says "American Athletic Club." What was it and when did it come into existence?
David Cottrell

Dear David,
The American Athletic Club came into existence in 1891. Clubs of this sort were popular with the athletically inclined at that time, and some of the clubs are still around today. For example, the New Orleans Athletic Club was formed in 1872 as the Independent Gymnastic Club and began in a backyard on Esplanade Avenue.

About 80 robust young gentlemen in the Uptown area of the city got together to organize the American Athletic Club. They officially published a charter and announced the creation of a limited-stock company. Shares were available for $10 each. The new club was very popular, and in a few months there were 700 members.

So in October 1891, the gentlemen laid the cornerstone for a new building at Constance Street and Napoleon Avenue. The grand opening was in the spring of 1892 and included a reception and a ball. The opening was described in the newspaper, where the AAC was declared "a first class gym and a first class social club."

Hey Blake,
I am an author and am writing a novel that takes place in New Orleans in the 1970s and '80s. As a backdrop to my plotline, I wanted to reference the Angela Hill/Garland Robinette story. I lived down in New Orleans for a few years after it all happened, and I remember people talking about it, but I am not sure of the exact years. Do you know what year they got married and what year they divorced?
Tim Bryant