Steamboat History

Steamboat History

By Janelle Woodyard

Whenever I think about steamboats, Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn comes to mind. “We laid there all day, and watched the rafts and steamboats spin down the Missouri shore, and up-bound steamboats fight the big river in the middle.” Or, remember the famous scene when Jim and Huckleberry’s raft was demolished by the riverboat in the middle of the night?   

Before trains made their place in history, there was the mighty steamboat. Three men were responsible for impacting the industry, John Fitch, Robert Fulton, and Robert R. Livingston.  From 1785 to 1796, John Fitch built four steamboats, his first trial boat traveled the Delaware River.  In 1811, Fulton and Livingston constructed a vessel for use from New Orleans to Natchez.

Steamboats were used to transport cargo such as cotton, sugar, and of course, passengers at a rate of 8 miles an hour.  As steamboat and paddleboat technology increased so did the speed of vessels.  However, by the 1870’s locomotives chugged their way into history with faster and more efficient travel.  As a result, the steamboat was left behind swirling down the river. 

Today, steamboats are gaining popularity with the leisure traveler. Whether cruising in the Northeast or Southeast United States, down the Mississippi River, Alaska or the Pacific Northwest, stepping aboard, hearing the whistle blow and seeing the paddles turn, will definitely take you back in time.

Recommended Reading: Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Life on the Mississippi