Program

Legends & Lore®

Subject

Arts & Culture, Folklore, People

Location

161 E Water St, Washington, NC 27889, USA

Lat/Long

35.540804, -77.054607

Grant Recipient

City of Washington

Along the Pamlico River, the city of Washington, North Carolina, stands as a testament to historic boatbuilding traditions. For generations, the bustle of shipyards and the craftsmanship of shipwrights could be seen in this river town.

One such vessel, crafted by a local boat builder named Bill Chauncey, would make its mark on American literature and theater. In the early twentieth century, the showman James Adams approached Chauncey with his dreams of bringing theater to the waterways. What emerged from Chauncey’s shipyard between 1913 and 1914 was “The James Adams Floating Theatre.”

More than just a showboat, this spectacular theater-on-water traveled the waterways of Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina, captivating audiences with its performances. However, its most significant claim to fame was its inadvertent role as a muse for Edna Ferber. The renowned novelist spent four days aboard the floating theatre in 1925, soaking in the ambiance and the day-to-day hum of the crew’s routine on its decks. This experience birthed her iconic novel, Show Boat, later adapted as a Broadway musical and several movies. Though its set in Mississippi, the novel is undeniably influenced by Ferber’s time on the James Adams Floating Theatre.