The riverboat Cherry Blossom in dock at Alexandria’s waterfront. Photo by Vernon Miles.
The Cherry Blossom was commissioned at least 100 years after a paddlewheel riverboat would have been considered a financially viable investment. The boat remains docked along the waterfront for most of the year, used almost exclusively for private events. It doesn’t happen often, but on Monday, Oct. 13, the Cherry Blossom opened its doors to the public for an open house.
There are few obvious features inside the Cherry Blossom, aside from the modern lighting and utilities, that indicate it was built in 1984 and not 1884. The Cherry Blossom’s split stern wheels are functional and build from Maryland oak. The wooden railings are from Alabama. The ceilings are tin, and while they aren’t as low as the ones usually seen in a riverboat, the elevated height gives the room a more spacious feel. Every piece of the Cherry Blossom is designed to transport guests to mid-19th century America.
This is convenient, as the boat’s actual travel distance isn’t all that far.
“The Cherry Blossom typically travels north … up into the Washington channel,” said Kailin Burns, a representative from Potomac Riverboat Company. Because of the tall smokestacks, the Cherry Blossom can’t safely pass under some of the bridges. “Or we can travel as far south as Mount Vernon if that’s what the client wants.”
The Cherry Blossom is exclusively for private events, most recently hosting a Chamber of Commerce event and a Bar Mitzvah. Event costs can range from $400 to $1,000 per hour.
The Cherry Blossom also opened to the public in September for International Talk Like a Pirate Day. According to Charlotte Hall, vice president of the Potomac Riverboat Company, the pirate-themed festival was an unexpected hit. Local authors showed up for storytelling events for children, though what surprised Hall was how many adults showed up in pirate-themed costumes.
The open house was catered by King Street Blues with music performed by Connie and Kevin Olivera. The Oliveras have performed on the boat several times, most recently for a group of international bankers.
“[The bankers] all wanted to hear jazz,” said Kevin. “Americans take it for granted, but Europeans love jazz.”
Willem Polak, owner of the Potomac Riverboat Company, shared the story of an unexpected difficulty in the boat’s trip from Florida to Virginia. Schools of fish often follow coastal boats, which wouldn’t have been a problem, except that the paddles kept catching them and launching the fish up onto the deck at the startled crew.
Polak cited a mural that hangs in the City Council chambers as part of the inspiration for the ship. The mural depicts the Alexandria waterfront in the middle of the 19th century, with two of the most prominent ships in the foreground being a pair of paddle-wheel riverboats.
“We wanted to do something different,” said Polak. “And these boats are a part of the city’s heritage.”