The Goldenrod Showboat’s long story appears to have ended with a fire early Saturday in Illinois’ Calhoun County.

Preservationists for years have worked to try to preserve the historic 108-year-old showboat, which shut down in 2001 after decades on the St. Louis and St. Charles riverfronts.

But early Saturday, the orange glow of a fire two miles to the north could be seen from Kampsville, North Calhoun Fire Department Chief Gary Hall said. It came from where the vessel was moored on the Illinois River.

By the time firefighters arrived the boat was mostly gone.

“It was already completely down when firefighters got there,” Hall said. “Three-quarters of it had already fallen into the hull.”

Hall said he has no idea how long the structure burned before the glow was seen in town.

“They had moved it out of town because of too many complaints,” he said. Hall indicated that there was concern that someone would get hurt if they attempted to go onto the deteriorating structure.