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Crews from Dave's Landscaping in McConnelsville spent the last six days restoring and replacing the floorboards on the old boat. Dave Lapp, president of Dave's Lanscaping, says the crew was happy to help with the project. "It's been great to be a part of that and to see something that is pretty well a part of history and being able to restore that and see how people used to live," said Lapp. 

 

Shilling Truss Company in Beverly donated the lumber for the project.

 

Museum experts say the houseboat dates back to the 1920s or 30s, when people would live on the river.

 

Lapp says it has been a challenge, but the crew only has one day left of work to complete the restoration of the floor. "The flooring was pretty well warped and rotted out, so everything had to be adjusted and re-leveled.  The flooring has a curve in it and so all the joists had to be special cut to meet that curve," said Lapp.

 

Once restored, the shanty boat will be moved to the Ohio River Museum. It will become an outdoor exhibit to show how families lived in the one-room houseboats.  The boat was donated to the Sons and Daughters of Pioneer Rivermen by the Schoonover family of Gallipolis.