In the decades of the 1880s and early 1890s, more than 70 commercial vessels of varying sizes and designs traveled the northern section of the St. Johns River the between Jacksonville and Palatka.

In 1893, a new member of the marine cavalcade was launched with pomp and revelry at a New Berlin shipyard near the mouth of the river in Jacksonville. After a leisurely cruise accompanied by much pre-ceremony celebratory toasting, distinguished guests from Jacksonville arrived for the ceremonies on board the Merrill-Stevens Engineering’s steamer, Eloise.

There, they were served several more rounds of potent punch supplied by the boatyard owners. Then commenced with varying degrees of ability, the trip onboard the May Garner for the christening by Capt. Garner’s eight-year-old daughter May. Finally, the last chocks pinning the ship to land were pounded loose and she splashed into the St. Johns.

Little May Garner managed to keep her footing at the bow, unlike many of the well-primed adult guests aboard, and firmly broke the bottle of wine, festooned in ribbons to match her dress, across the bow rail. Then, with poise, she clearly proclaimed the official words to christen her namesake.

Now, on launch day, the May Garner was just a shell consisting of a hull and deck all built of locally-grown oak and pine. Her hull measured 94 feet long and 25 feet wide. Her floor timbers were 5x10s and her side timbers 6x5s.

At this point in the nautical ceremony, more libations and luncheon baskets were brought on board for the leisurely tow up the river to Jacksonville. There, her staterooms and salons were to be finished in hardwoods to accommodate 150 passengers and her dual propellers and 100 horse power engine installed.

The May Garner’s career began in the heyday of the winter tourist era and she continued to serve after the railroads began to whisk most of the vacationers further south.

After World War I, river excursion trips for locals and travelers were limited to weekends but on weekdays she ran a regular route between Jacksonville and Green Cove Springs stopping at any dock flying a signal flag to pick up passengers or cargo.

To accommodate her changing role, a portion of the lower deck was leased by Mr. Swarthy who bought and sold chickens, eggs, fish, fresh game and vegetables. There is a story that at one time every woman and girl along the river sported a fancy rainbow colored parasol because Mr. Swarthy got a good deal from a traveling salesman sweating in his wool suit and was anxious to get home to Philadelphia.

The May Garner was one of the last riverboats to ply the St. Johns River. She did it first as a grand lady then as a steady dependable workhorse but she stayed the course until the late 1910s. The little girl became a sparkling debutante, married and moved to Miami but her namesake became part of Clay County history.