New Noah Building A Luxury Ark: Praying For A Flood Of Tourists -Original Georgia Traveler WSB-TV

Billy Benson is a new Noah building a luxury ark. The people around West Point, Georgia call him Noah because he’s spent over five years building an 18-feet wide, 80-feet long riverboat. The catch is he’s building in the middle of a field that’s miles away from the river. So, Billy is praying for a flood - of tourists. Billy Benson is a house painter/decorator but his heart is in boating. When he was 21, he built a 25-foot cabin cruiser and charged 50-cents for a tour of Lake Hardin. 22 years later his goal is the build a fancy riverboat and offer luxury river cruises from Columbus, Georgia to Panama City, Florida. So far, he has the steel hull and the first level. There are two more to go. It’s slow going because Billy paints a house … works on the boat … paints a house … on and on. When it’s finished, his ark will have 12 overnight cabins and be able to carry 50 passengers. Then he’ll pilot the Chattahoochee River and live on the boat. This story aired on WSB-TV Channel 2 Action News in 1975.
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Long before CNN and Fox News the Traveler series with Andy Johnston was an Emmy award winning program that showcased amazing people, unusual things, local legends, food finds, outdoor activities, folk art, and family fun. In 2022 the Walter J. Brown Media Archives at the University of Georgia founded The Original Georgia Traveler -- Andy Johnston Collection to preserve and maintain the stories.
The Traveler Series celebrates life and living in America in the 1970s. Nostalgia, small towns, traditional life and the good old days. The stories give us ways to compare then and now. Folklore, music, handcrafts, vanishing America and unusual people. Funny stories, personal stories and amazing people are in this collection.
This story is presented for educational and preservation purposes and is covered under Fair Use. At the time it was broadcast the television station had a blanket music license with ASCAP, BMI and SESAC. The station maintains that license today. All music used is covered under that agreement.
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[@Oliver66FarmBoy]

Wonder if it’s still floating around today?

[@PhilipDrown]

Another great, interesting story in a long line of really engaging stories!