According to “The History of the Great American Steam Piano” by Steven Espensheid, the first steamboat fitted with a calliope was the Str. Unicorn, at Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1860.

It’s called a calliope or steam organ, and it was originally designed to be played inside churches. “The steam calliope was actually patented by Joshua C. Stout from Massachusetts.

The calliope is fueled by propane tanks that heat a boiler to produce steam. Davis said the calliope will play at the city of Bloomington’s 200th anniversary on April 29.

Residents wave and clap as the Winona Steam Calliope rolls by in the parade at Lake Winona Manor June 14, 2011, in Winona. The calliope, in need of major repairs, has been stored indefinitely.

Announcing his presence is the steam calliope he hauls to parades and other festive events in a circus-themed tractor-trailer. The calliope's loud, lively tunes -\!q played on a brass keyboard ...

Steam from the calliope billows up as high as 100 feet in the cold winter air, Bergman said. “A lot of children are really awed by it because they’ve never seen anything like this before in their life ...

The calliope works off the same steam that powers the boat. A thin pipeline runs from the boiler room up the organ. The boiler on the Minne-Ha-Ha is actually for a steam locomotive which Dow says ...

Besides the steam calliope and steam engine rides, there will be food, expected to include burgers and brats, live music, hands-on history stations, plein air painting, farm animals, antique cars ...