Mary B. Greene
Covington, Kenton County, Kentucky
Marker Inscription
Captain Mary B. Greene. 1868-1949. Mary Green was born the daughter of a country storekeeper. When she married Captain Gordon C. Greene, she left the land to make her life and raise her family on the rivers of America. Captain Mary was one of the few women to become a licensed boat master and river pilot. The exploits of Mary Greene are legendary. She steered through a cyclone, survived an explosion of nitroglycerine, and gave birth to a son while her boat was locked in an ice gorge. After the death of her husband, in 1927, Captain Mary ran the 28 paddlewheelers of the Greeneline Steamers Company, including the Delta Queen. This sculpture made possible by: Central Trust of Kenton County, Kentucky National Bank, Huntington Bank of Kenton County. Sculptor: Michael Price. An official project of the Greater Cincinnati Bicentennial Commission, 1988.
The Story
Born a storekeeper's daughter in 1868, Mary Greene left the land when she married riverboat captain Gordon C. Greene and became one of the very few women licensed as a boat master and river pilot. She steered through a cyclone, survived a nitroglycerine explosion, and after her husband's death in 1927 ran the Greeneline Steamers fleet of 28 paddlewheelers — including the famous Delta Queen.
Why it matters
Captain Mary Greene broke into the hard, male world of America's river commerce and commanded it, a landmark figure in both women's history and the great age of steamboating.
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Related people
- · Mary B. Greene
- · Gordon C. Greene
Related events
- · Greeneline Steamers Company
Themes & tags
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