Image: Music Temple river dory boat

Description: Following text from the National Park Service: THE 'MUSIC TEMPLE'. WOOD RIVER BOAT, PROPELLED BY OARS. MODIFIED MCKENZIE RIVER HULL BUILT BY KEITH STEELE OF LEABURG, OREGON. INTERIOR DESIGNED BY FIRST OWNER P.T. REILLY. FOUR STORAGE COMPARTMENTS IN COCKPIT, TWO AIRTIGHT COMPARTMENTS. PATCHES ON DECK, STERN, EACH SIDE NEAR BOTTOM, MIDSHIP. THE NAME OF THE BOAT HAS BEEN STENCILED ON THE SIDES OF THE BOW, AND 'GRAND CANYON DORIES' IS STENCILED ON THE SIDES OF THE STERN. A BUMPER STRIP RUNS ALONG THE SIDE OF THE BOAT. THE HULL IS PAINTED WHITE, THE DECK TURQUOISE BORDERED BY A WHITE STRIP, WITH RED TRIM, AND THE COCKPIT AND BOTTOM GREY. SEE GRCA 53951 FOR OARS FROM THE MUSIC TEMPLE. THE "MUSIC TEMPLE', ORIGINALLY NAMED THE 'SUSIE TOO' WAS THE FIRST DORY BOAT TO RUN THE COLORADO RIVER THROUGH THE GRAND CANYON, IN 1962. ON THAT TRIP, THE 'SUSIE TOO' (NAMED FOR OWNER P.T. REILLY'S WIFE) LEFT LEES FERRY ON JUNE 25, WITH REILLY ROWING THE BOAT, MARTIN LITTON IN ANOTHER DORY, THE 'PORTOLA', AND A CATARACT BOAT ROWED BY VERNON 'BRICK' MORTENSON. THE TRIP ENDED ON JULY 14, 1962. THE BOAT WAS EVENTUALLY SOLD TO MARTIN LITTON WHO ESTABLISHED THE GRAND CANYON DORIES COMMERCIAL OPERATION. IT WAS RENAMED THE 'MUSIC TEMPLE' AND MADE DOZENS OF TRIP THROUGH THE GRAND CANYON, OFTEN PIONEERING NEW ROUTES THROUGH RAPIDS. IN 1965, WITH FRANCOIS LEYDET AT THE OARS, IT WAS THE FIRST DORY TO EVER RUN LAVA FALLS. IN 1969, THE BOAT WAS TEMPORARILY RENAMED THE 'EMMA DEAN' WHILE PARTICIPATING IN THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION AND RE-ENACTMENT OF JOHN WESLEY POWELL'S FIRST COLORADO RIVER EXPEDITION, ROWED AGAIN BY LEYDET. THE BOAT WAS RETIRED IN 1973, PARTLY BECAUSE OF AGE AND WEAR AND PARTLY BECAUSE IT WAS SMALLER AND LESS LOAD-EFFICIENT THAN SOME OF ITS COMMERCIAL SUCCESSORS. THE BOAT WAS DONATED TO THE PARK FOR ITS RIVER RUNNING EXHIBIT, BY GRAND CANYON DORIES OWNER MARTIN LITTON, IN JUNE 1976. THE OARS DISPLAYED WITH THE BOAT WERE DONATED BY LITTON A COUPLE YEARS AFTER THE BOAT. THEY WERE NOT THE OARS THAT WERE USED ON THE FIRST TRIP THROUGH THE CANYON, BUT THEY WERE USED WITH THE 'MUSIC TEMPLE' AT SOME TIME. -THE BOAT WAS IN THE RIVER RUNNER EXHIBIT IN THE VISITOR CENTER PATIO FROM THE TIME OF ACQUISITION TILL JUNE 2004. -THE BOAT WAS MOVED AT THAT TIME WITH ASSISTANCE FROM WACC CONSERVATOR BRYNN BENDER AND MANY MEMBERS OF THE BOATING COMMUNITY, TO THE SCIENCE CENTER WAREHOUSE FOR CONSERVATION, AS PART OF THE 'SAVE OUR BOATS' HISTORIC BOAT CONSERVATION PROJECT.
Title: Music Temple river dory boat
Credit: https://secure.flickr.com/photos/grand_canyon_nps/5143927271/in/set-72157625077218027/
Author: M. Quinn of the National Park Service (USA)
Usage Terms: Public domain
License: Public domain
Attribution Required?: No