Steamboats on the Wabash
6 days ago
1 min read
Ever wonder how your ancestors came to this area? Depending on when they arrived, they may have come by riverboat.
“In 1836”, according to a statement by Mr. Cauthorn, “as many as 600 steamboats passed by Vincennes by actual count.” From 1840-1845, more than 200 boats carried on a regular traffic between Vincennes and various points on the Ohio and Miss. Rivers. Between 1850 and 1860, steam boating on the Wabash was a profitable and remunerative business. In Aug 1852, rails for the Vincennes division of the C&T (Cairo and Vincennes) Railroad were brought up the Wabash from New Orleans on five large boats.
This information was found in the Lewis Library at Vincennes University.
Research by M Wagner.
