Silas Wright. Raft boat on Upper Mississippi. The Silas Wright was built at Eau Claire, Wisconsin, during the winter of 1866-67. Her hull was 106 feet long, 20 feet beam and 3 feet depth of hold; 91.51 tons. She was owned by Ingram and Kennedy and operated during 1867 as a packet between Read's Landing, Minnesota, on the Mississippi River, and Eau Claire, Wisconsin, about 70 miles above the mouth
, the Lydia Van Sant made fast across the bow of the raft and by pushing ahead or back, as directed by the pilot of the raft boat \"J. W. Van Sant\", the bow boat moves the bow to the right or left giving the raft a different direction or \"point\". The J. W. Van Sant II, was built in 1890 and burned in 1907.
House to far left - Al Blankenship home. Blacksmith shop very close - little building (here is where Holly Griffin learned to play the violin). 4 people on lift.