 Tom Reynolds first boat was the "Illinois", lost to fire in 1916, which he replaced by building the "America".From 1945 to 1959 there was an academic alliance between the Reynolds family and Hiram College, Kent State University, and Indiana University that allowed the schools to present summer theater experiences for students on "Majestic".In December 2014, longtime drama professor, Tom Weatherston, produced a documentary about the alliance and life on the showboat.