The Corwin H. Spencer was originally built as the Anchor Line steamer City of Monroe at Jeffersonville, Indiana in 1887. Badly damaged by the cyclone at St. Louis on May 27, 1896 she was rebuilt into the Hill City. She was 327 feet long, 44 feet beam, and 8.5 feet depth of hold. Purchased by Captain T. B. Sims at a U. S. Marshall sale in January 1898. In 1903 again sold, converted into an excursion boat and renamed the Corwin H. Spencer. She burned just above Jefferson Barracks, Missouri on October 12, 1906.