Racing the River

By the late nineteenth century steamboats had been traveling the Mississippi for more than sixty years. They were as common to people then as cars are to us today. Click here to learn more about steamboats. Over time engineers and riverboat captains improved steamboats. Engines became much more powerful than that of the New Orleans, the first steamboat to travel the length of the Ohio and the Mississippi Rivers. The boats grew in size and luxury. More than simple transportation, newer steamboats offered a traveler every accommodation. A trip on a fancy steamer was an adventure in itself.

Along with luxurious accouterments, steamboats acquired powerful engines and with them competition developed among various crews to see which boats were the fastest.

The most famous race began on June 30, 1870 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Two of the most famous and fancy steam boats, the Rob't E. Lee and the Natchez prepared to race from New Orleans to St. Louis, Missouri. Thousands of people gathered to watch the race. It was a tremendous event. People throughout the United States and Europe anticipated the outcome. Thousands of dollars changed hands on various bets ranging from guessing arrival times to which boat would win.

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