Mississippi Valley Power Boat Association 1911 Medal/Pin?

The coin

Fellow Woody Boater Heather LuGrain sent us in this very cool Coin/Medal/ Pin Something and the story kinda behind it. But would love to have some more of the story. Does anyone know what these were used for?

“When my grandmother passed she gave me a bunch of old coins and in the collection there’s what looks like a medal and it says Mississippi Valley Power Boat Association and then July 4,5 & 6, 1911. The date surprised me being over 100 years old. Is this something that sounds familiar to you?”

I cleaned up the coin photo to reveal the boats if that helps anyone ID them?

I think it’s Chris Bullen? That’s my best guess. He sure has aged well for a 100 or so year old guy. So has the boat!

So we did some digging here so you wouldn’t have too. And it is a very cool door way and of all things, leads us to Iowa!

This is from a story we did on Dixie Baby LINK HERE

And of course 1911 was a early year in power boating, Here is a photo of John Hacker’s 1911 Kitty Hawk, the fastest boat in the world between 1911 and 1915

Oh ya! Photo Hacker-Craft Wiki

Which kinda sets up another photo of Apachee II which I recall is a 1908 Race boat.

Lee Anderson on Gull Lake. Man oh man I love that boat, and one of my favorite photos.

Now of course as I kept digging around 1911 race stuff, I did find this.

This is from a website on the Dubuque Regatta and is commemorative pin!  This race was held in Iowa! Maybe its a pin that was handed out for many years marking the first race? You can read more HERE on the web page. Very cool stuff. – Photo courtesy: Bob Reding

I will leave you all here to did around on the Debuque site! Enjoy your rabbit hole of history today!

 

 

 

8 replies
  1. John Rothert
    John Rothert says:

    before the internet we Went Boating! and for info read the paper….which…..is now extinct at my house…after 50 plus years of the Richmond Times Dispatch….no content, price hikes, end of an era….killed by the net…a mercy killing in this case.

    John in Va.

  2. Bilge Rat
    Bilge Rat says:

    I still subscribe to the morning paper. I delivered this as a kid to 80 daily customers in all weather and remember the nasty winter storms I’d be out there lugging these things every morning. I made 3 cents a paper, but I lived for the tips as back then I also had to collect from the subscribers once a week. As a 13 year old kid, that taught me a lot about people good, fair and bad. Had a few deadbeats that skipped out on their bill. Now everyone pays the office and the paper is delivered by an adult with a car and about 400 people on his morning route. His aim for my front door is hit or miss. I had to put them in the door, milk box (there’s an ancient item) or garage. Still, I have a soft spot for anyone delivering the daily news even if it sometimes lags the internet.

  3. Bill B
    Bill B says:

    It has been written by other wood boat historians that Christopher Columbus Smith and Gar Wood met one another while competing in Dubuque on the Mississippi River. I have read this in numerous places, “Speed Boat Kings” or possibly one of Tony Mollica’s books.

  4. Dane
    Dane says:

    Apache II is a 1922 Hacker.

    I believe that the commemorative pins were used as admission badges for multi day events.

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