John Streckfus, Sr. (1856-1925) started a steam packet business in 1880, the Acme Packet Company. In 1889, he purchased his first steamboat and others soon followed, but Streckfus was disappointed with the small profits made from hauling freight and a few passengers on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. By 1910, he altered his business plan to include excursion boats, and the new Streckfus Steamers, Incorporated purchased four riverboats from the Diamond Jo Line. The company slowly converted the boats and began excursions. The Dixie Belle ran two-and-a-half hour excursions from Canal Street in New Orleans and featured entertainment by Fate Marable and His Jazz Maniacs. It was the venue of Louis Armstrong’s first engagement with Streckfus. By 1929, Joseph Streckfus (1887-1960) ran the company and purchased the Cincinnati, an overnight packet boat built by Midland Barge Company for the Louisville and Cincinnati Packet Company in 1924. The Cincinnati was built with a steel hull, which was the only portion of the original construction kept by Streckfus when he purchased the boat and brought it to St. Louis. The redesign took approximately two years and resulted in five steel decks replacing the original three wooden decks. The President launched in July 1934 and could carry 3,100 passengers and crew. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1989, but the designation was withdrawn in 2011 due to the extensive renovations completed over many years. In 1935, Streckfus Steamers purchased the metal-hulled sidewheel Albatross. It was a ferry for heavy vehicles that operated in Vicksburg, Mississippi, from 1907 to 1930. Streckfus brought it to St. Louis and refitted the hull with a five-story steel superstructure. The Admiral debuted in June 1940 with a capacity for 4,400 passengers and crew. It was dismantled for scrap in 2011. Mazie Krebs met Captain Joe Streckfus, president of Streckfus Steamers, through Taylor-Rebholz, a graphic design firm. Krebs graduated from Cleveland High School and attended the Washington University School of Fine Arts. She left the university to work as a fashion illustrator at Famous-Barr before joining Taylor-Rebholz. Krebs designed the interior of the President and the interior and exterior of the Admiral.