Sergeant Floyd

The M.V. Sergeant Floyd is a steel-hulled vessel with wooden structures built on its deck, moored along the Missouri River waterfront in Sioux City. The museum ship displays exhibits about river transportation and the working lives of those who operated towboats on this waterway.

The vessel was built in 1932 as a working boat for the Army Corps of Engineers and operated as a towboat throughout the middle of the century. It received National Historic Landmark designation in 1989 for its importance to American maritime and transportation history.

The vessel commemorates Sergeant Charles Floyd, a member of the Lewis and Clark expedition, and tells the story of the Missouri River as a vital transportation route in early American history. Visitors can understand how river commerce shaped the development of the nation.

The museum is open to visitors and features accessible facilities for people with mobility needs, along with a gift shop. Visiting on weekday mornings usually provides a quieter experience with more time to explore the exhibits at your own pace.

The vessel received engine upgrades in 1962 that extended its working life and improved its power, allowing it to continue operations much longer than originally intended. This modernization demonstrates how working boats were adapted to meet changing demands on the river.