The company was founded in 1969 by William Bowell - a World War II decorated veteran - at a time when the Mississippi River was neglected and underused.
The activities of Bowell and Padelford helped build relationships between the people and the river, and spurred positive changes on the riverfront.
[1] Founder William Bowell grew up close to the river, helping his father's small business on Harriet Island.
[2] He was a curator for the Minnesota Historical Society and later a businessman, but returned to the river in 1969 to start the Padelford Riverboat business.
[1] After initially purchasing the paddle steamer Jonathan Padelford, Bowell continued to expand the boat inventory.
But before they could get their hands on one, the economy slipped into recession and that extra cash ended up providing the necessary resources for the company to remain in operation.
[5][6] Starting in 1996, Padelford partnered with the National Park Service, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the Science Museum of Minnesota, the St. Paul chapter of the National Audubon Society, Hamline University's Center for Global Environmental Education, and other government agencies and nonprofit organizations to create a temporary floating classroom/field trip series.
Not only was the MNRRA region named and identified, but regular recreational activity of all kinds increased starting in that period.
Bowell went against that grain and provided access to the river on a recreational basis, including also a dose of regional history in each excursion.
In 1990 a car/truck ferry vessel named the Brandon Paul from Tiptonville, Kentucky was acquired, renamed the Betsey Northrup and converted to a two deck, 300-passenger party barge.
Captain Frank M. Whiting - Showboat built in 2002 by John Nichols of Mississippi Marine for the University of Minnesota and Padelford.