1931 Matthews 38' Double Cabin Cruiser
Boat History
A Look at George L. Howell, Dowager's Preservationist Owner 1998-2015
George L. Howell (1933–2015) was a historic preservationist whose impact can still be seen across New York State. A businessman and a perfectionist, he restored a myriad of historic buildings, classic transportation, and cultural artifacts that might otherwise have been lost. His meticulous approach combined historical authenticity with technological innovation, as seen in his most personal project—the MV Dowager. Howell was a key figure in the Preservation League of New York State, an organization that protects and advocates for historic buildings, neighborhoods, and landscapes across the state. He shaped preservation efforts by advising on restorations and fundraising for historic sites. He also served as a Trustee Emeritus of Elmira College and an Honorary Trustee of both the Arnot Art Museum and the Chemung County Historical Society. In 2007, he founded Historic Elmira, Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to preserving the architectural heritage of his hometown. Under his leadership, the organization worked to revitalize historic buildings and ensure Elmira’s past remained part of its future. Howell advocated for preservation—and he made it happen. He personally funded and oversaw the restoration of more than a dozen classic cars, wooden sailboats, a horse-drawn fire engine, a historic surrey, stone walls, fountains, and monuments, and of course, the MV Dowager.
Preserving the Dowager for Future Generations
The MV Dowager was George Howell’s most personal preservation project. As a Boy Scout, he had fallen in love with its sister ship, the Mary Nann II, which belonged to his troop leader. Howell spent decades searching for a 1930s Matthews cabin cruiser, and when he finally found the Dowager, it required a massive rebuild—it had a broken stem and missing hardware.
Convincing the owners to sell took time. Their son had lived on the boat, and then after the young man died, the Dowager's stem was broken in a boatyard accident. So the Bailey family had kept the boat for years, waiting for someone they could trust to restore it rather than strip it for parts. Howell spent six months persuading the Baileys to let him rebuild the Dowager, introducing them to his boatbuilder and proving he understood the financial commitment.
Over the next two years, Howell spent well over half a million dollars bringing the 1931 Matthews cruiser back to life. His love and knowledge of wooden boat building went back to his very first summertime jobs, working in a boatshop on Keuka Lake in the 1940s. During the Dowager's rebuild and restoration, he visited the boatshop every few days—if not daily—often in his suit and bow tie, just happy to be there, observing.
With his deep understanding of wooden boats and eye for detail, Howell was relentless in making sure everything went well on this project—sourcing the best woods, tracking down helm dials from a salvaged Chris-Craft, and commissioning a custom-machined brushed metal plate for the helm station when an original couldn’t be found.
George Howell’s final and most beloved restoration project resulted in the MV Dowager, a boat built to last for decades, as long as it is cared for properly. Owning a classic wooden boat like this is both a privilege and a responsibility. I made the same promise to my father that he made to the Bailey family—the same promise the next owner will make to me:
We will do right by this boat. Because of this, we, his family, have turned down offers from buyers who were unable to provide covered moorage for the Dowager. We've also turned down buyers who wanted to use as a charter boat. The Dowager remains in storage, waiting for its next incredible owner, while we—its stewards—wait to hear from someone who has fallen in love with the boat and is capable of caring for it as well as enjoying it.