SHOWBOAT MAJESTIC
Why it's listed
Moored at the Cincinnati Public Landing at the foot of Broadway, the Showboat Majestic is a 135-foot floating theatre built in Pittsburgh and launched on the Ohio River in 1923. Thomas Jefferson Reynolds, Sr. owned and operated her until his death in 1959, the longest single ownership recorded for any showboat. His nine children were all born on the river, five of them aboard the Majestic, and each worked as a performer or crew member. She played the Ohio, Allegheny, Cumberland, Green, Kanawha, Kentucky, Monongahela, Muskingum and Tennessee Rivers, and from 1939 was the last floating theatre still doing one-night stands. Age and her wooden hull forced her into dry dock in 1965. The city recreation commission bought her, and in 1969 she received a steel hull over the original. Her exterior is largely unaltered, while the interior stage was enlarged and fire protection and climate control added. University of Cincinnati theatre students now stage productions aboard.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls her the last authentic showboat constructed and the longest-lived and most widely traveled of all showboats. She played nine rivers and continued one-night stands until 1965. Thomas Jefferson Reynolds, Sr. owned her until 1959, the longest single ownership of any showboat.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 80003085, listed January 3, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Broadway St., Cincinnati |
|---|---|
| County | Hamilton County |
| Listed | January 3, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003085 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Areas of significance | Performing Arts |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition fair; occupied and used by the University of Cincinnati for theatre productions; no longer a traveling vessel; moved to Cincinnati in 1969 and fitted with a steel hull. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.09646, -84.50474 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 80003085.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6737679
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.