The first Western steamboat was built in 1811 in Pittsburgh, and thousands more were constructed in the years before the Civil War. These waterborne vehicles helped define the nineteenth-century trans-Appalachian West. Decades of incremental changes created a distinctive watercraft, and the steamboat became perfectly suited to the conditions of the Western rivers, transforming the West from a wilderness into a place of economic significance. In The Western River Steamboat, nautical archaeologist Adam I. Kane traces the ...
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The first Western steamboat was built in 1811 in Pittsburgh, and thousands more were constructed in the years before the Civil War. These waterborne vehicles helped define the nineteenth-century trans-Appalachian West. Decades of incremental changes created a distinctive watercraft, and the steamboat became perfectly suited to the conditions of the Western rivers, transforming the West from a wilderness into a place of economic significance. In The Western River Steamboat, nautical archaeologist Adam I. Kane traces the development of this once commonplace vessel. Kane describes the importance and impact of the steamboat in American history and complements his historical analysis with clear, concise technical explanations of the construction and evolution of Western river steamboats. Using photographs, drawings, and charts to help readers visualize the early steamboats and the study of their remains by archaeologists, Kane explains how the rivers dictated the design of the hull, why stern wheels replaced side wheels, how hogging chains kept hulls from buckling, and why safety valves were of little use when engineers regularly overloaded them. Anyone intrigued by the vessel that chan
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This is a used book in good condition and may show some signs of use or wear. This is a used book in good condition and may show some signs of use or wear.
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This book is a very good introduction to the early steamship operations on the Mississippi River and its tributaries. There are others that could be added to this for a more comprehensive view. And I have several of those already. It does a thorough examination of the steamboats up to the Civil War. However, since this is about the steamboats, their Captains have little, if any, consideration.
But I bought this because of its title, hoping for information on steamships on the 'Western Rivers': Colorado, Sacramento, Columbia, Snake, Willamette, and the Puget Sound.
Sadly, Nary a word on these.
A better or more explanatory title should have been used.
