This afternoon, Center Street Landing's ship will come in.

Actually, it will be a riverboat.

Around 5:30 p.m., the Chattanooga Star, an authentic sidewheeler riverboat, will dock at the landing, carrying a marker from the Ohio Historical Society designating the landing as a historical site. A public dedication ceremony for the marker will be 9 a.m. Thursday.

Ironton will be one of several places between Marietta and Cincinnati visited by the riverboat and one of several spots designated as historical sites for being Ohio River industrial hubs.

An evening cruise will begin at 7 p.m. and will last for two hours. At 9 a.m., the marker will be unveiled during the free public ceremony. Then, the boat will set sail for a cruise to Portsmouth around 1 p.m., for which people may purchase tickets as well.

Due to space constraints, the Wednesday evening cruise will be limited to 60 people. The tickets will cost $12. To make reservations, anyone interested must call the mayor's office. The cruise must be pre-paid.

For the Portsmouth cruise, tickets are $20. Space is limited to approximately 40 people.

Collins Career Center has volunteered to provide transportation back to Ironton for those who go on the Portsmouth cruise.

Some cruise reservations have already been made, but some spots still remain.