By volume the 981-miles-long Ohio River is the largest tributary to the Mississippi River. Formed at Pittsburgh, PA, by the confluence of the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers it has a long and lively steamboat history.

The first steam-powered boat on the Ohio River, called the New Orleans, was constructed in Pittsburgh in 1811 by Nicholas J. Roosevelt, a partner in the firm of inventor Robert Fulton. Her machinery, fabricated in New York, was transported in pieces over the Allegheny Mountains.

Through steamboats and river travel, people, freight, ideas, and news traveled faster and the region was linked to national networks of commerce, communication, migration, and popular culture. By 1830 Louisville had surpassed Lexington as the commonwealth’s largest community.

Pages in category "Steamboats of the Ohio River" The following 14 pages are in this category, out of 14 total. This list may not reflect recent changes.

Built in 1914, the Belle is the only remaining authentic steamboat from the great American packet boat era. A National Historic Landmark and an icon of the Louisville waterfront, the Belle is the most widely traveled steamboat of her size in American history.

The sternwheeler VALLEY GEM is making various public cruises on the Muskingum and Ohio Rivers out of Marietta.

The collection contains thirty-one black-and-white copy photographs of steamboats that sailed on the Ohio River from the 1850s to the early 1900s. One image is a copy photograph of a drawing. Most photographs show steamboats underway or at ports. A small number of photographs show men loading freight. Annotations were made by the

The advent of steamboats on western waters impacted transportation, industry, business, communication, and culture. Ohio Valley residents quickly embraced its advantages and accepted and bore its dangers.

When was the Ohio River Formed? How has the Ohio River changed over time? Is it deeper or more shallow? What do locks do? How long would Steamboats usually last? What is the number one...

The River Discovery Center is featuring several steamboat models including a huge model of the Delta Queen. Interactive hands-on exhibits include a Lock & Dam, a barge loader, a flood table and a hydroelectric dam.