Also in 1848 - Wyatt Earp is born in Monmouth, IL. War between U.S.
and Mexico ended with Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. In exchange for
$15 million, the U.S. acquired the areas encompassing all or parts of
present day California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado,
Wyoming, and Texas.
In 1849 - St. Louis alone, reported being visited by 3,000
different riverboats. The City had grown from a population 3,000 to
over 77,000 and had become the second largest Port in the country
(second only to NYC).
That same year, a fire destroyed 23 sternwheelers and 15 city blocks
along the riverfront and it was reported that as many as 170
sternwheelers a day were docked along the St. Louis river front.
|In 1804, Vice President Aaron Burr kills Alexander Hamilton in a legal duel over campaign election results. (Remember
In 1807 - Well financed by Livingston, Robert Fulton's paddle-wheeled steamboat the Clermont, (named after the
Livinston's Estates "Clermont" traveled 150 miles from NYC to Albany in record breaking speed. The trip took 30 hours
and included an over-night stay - this beat out the fastest over-land route by 4 days and the fastest sailing vessel by 2 days. News
of Fulton's "fast" (7 mph) steam-powered, paddle-wheeled driven boat seem to travel faster than the journey itself, and the
Clermont set in motion what would become the first commercially successful Steamboat Company in the world.
Also In 1807 - Robert E. Lee is born in Virginia. Robert Stevens, builds the paddle-wheeled steamboat Phoenix, which
operates for six years on the Delaware River. To reach the Delaware, the Phoenix had to navigate from New York City, around
New Jersey, and thus became the first sternwheeler and steamship to cruise on the ocean.
And Robert Fulton, under Livingston's influence however - realized how important the Louisiana Purchase was for opening
the Mississippi and Mid-West. They promptly began building what would be one of the largest stern-wheeled steamboats to ever
navigate the waters of the Mississippi River. The boat was named New Orleans and was 116 feet length, 20 feet beam, the engine
had one cylinder 34 inches in diameter.
docked at the St. Louis levy
In 1811 - Built on the Ohio, Fulton's New Orleans started its first
voyage down the Ohio in September, and became the first sternwheeler
to travel the full down stream length of Mississippi from the Ohio.
Thereafter, it operated regularly between New Orleans, Natchez and St.
In 1812 - War of 1812 against Americans and British
In 1814 - The British landed in Maryland, defeated U.S. forces and on
Aug. 24, burned the Capitol and the White House.
By 1816, the fleet of passenger and freight paddle-wheeled
steamboats operating on the Mississippi River and its tributaries
totaled shipping nearly a half million tons of freight - supplying
economical and fast transportation of freight and people. The
paddle-wheeled steamboat is credited with being the single largest
influence for the successful and expeditious opening of all territory west of
the Mississippi, and for settlements north and south along the Mississippi,
Ohio, and Missouri Rivers.
In 1817 - construction began on the Erie Canal - linking NYC to Lake
Erie and the Great Lakes and the Mississippi.
In 1819 - American steamship Savannah made the first part steam, part
sail powered crossing of Atlantic. She traveled from Savannah, GA, to
Liverpool, England, in 29 days. The Independence, became the first
sternwheeler to navigate the Missouri river.
In 1820 - the trip from New Orleans to St. Louis over land, required 6
months, Sternwheelers made the trip in 20 days.
In 1823 - The steamboat, Virginia, was first to navigate the Mississippi
from St. Louis north to Ft. Snelling (Minneapolis).
In 1825 - Erie Canal opened; first boat left Buffalo and reached New
York City in 10 days; and ...
John Stevens, (Robert's brother) demonstrates first experimental
steam locomotive in U.S.
|In 1827 - Massachusetts passed a law providing for tax-supported public schools, and mandatory school
attendance. This, contrary to what they taught us in school: was responsible for the saying "Go West, Young Man, Go
West." It was NOT the Gold Rush. Gold was not discovered in California for another 21 years.
In 1828 - Abe Lincoln (at 19 years of age) and Allen
Gentry built a flatbed boat and took a cargo of farm
produce from St. Louis to New Orleans. During the trip
they got stuck on a shoal, fought off a robbery attack -
and while in New Orleans - Abe observed a slave
auction. Between 1828 and 1831 Lincoln and Gentry
built at least two more such flatbed boats and took them
loaded with produce from Illinois to New Orleans, all his
return trips were on a sternwheeler.
|In 1830 - Sternwheelers with newer engines were now making the trip from New Orleans to St. Louis in 12 days.
In 1833 - Indoor plumbing with running water the first indoor flush toilets were installed in White House.
In 1835 - Samuel Clemens (AKA Mark Twain) was born in Florida, Missouri, and at the age of four, his family moved to
Hannibal. In that same year, the trip from Hannibal to New Orleans was being made by sternwheelers in 6 days.
In 1836 - Narcissa Whitman arrives in Walla Walla, Washington, becoming the first white women to settle west of the Rocky
Mountains. The Alamo falls to Gen. Santa Anna.
In 1841 - First emigrant wagon train for California, 47 persons, left Independence, MO, May 1, reached California in 6
months and 4 days.
In 1843 - More than 1,000 settlers left Independence, MO, for Oregon.
In 1844 - First message over first telegraph line sent by inventor Samuel F.B. Morse from Washington to Baltimore, with
the message: “What hath God wrought!” Alexander Graham Bell is not born until 1847.
In 1848 - Gold is discovered in
California (probably by one of those
Massachusetts' school drop outs) Over
80,000 prospectors arrive in California
within one year - most by riverboats.
|During this time,
Lincoln makes his
first public speech
which was a speech
in favor of improving
|:: Capt John's RiverBoat Glory Days ::
|A 100 year history of the American Riverboat
|© 1993 - 2017 CaptainJohn.org
"Go West young Man. Go West!"
was NOT because of the Gold
Rush as most think. . .
It was made popular over
mandatory school attendance