Category Archives: Point Pleasant River Museum
STEAMBOAT PASSAGE AND FARE MID – 1800s by John Bowman
When you booked passage on a 1800s steamboat, and depending on what you could afford, you found quite a difference between the conditions enjoyed by steamboat cabin passengers and deck passengers. Those who could afford the best traveled in near splendor. We are talking of ‘For that time’. Boarding the boat at the bow, Forecastle, […]
Read MoreBILL OF LADING – FREIGHT ON BOARD Regarding FLATBOATS, KEELBOATS, and STEAMBOATS by John Bowman
What is a steamboat “Bill of Lading”?[i] A steamboat Bill of Lading was a two-piece receipt torn from a bound book, usually kept at the Wharfboat office that listed the goods received by a steamboat agent one copy of which was given to the carrier of the goods and one copy was given to the […]
Read MoreThe WHEELING – LOUISVILLE ‘UNION LINE’ WHEELING’S 1853 STEAMBOAT PACKET LINE by John Bowman
The WHEELING – LOUISVILLE ‘UNION LINE’ Daily served the cities of Wheeling, Cincinnati, Louisville, and St. Louis. Ohio River Steamboat Transportation Companies Headquartered in Wheeling, Virginia (West Virginia) The Wheeling Daily Intelligencer March 11, 1853 UNION LINE! Daily Steam Packet Service to the cities of Wheeling, Cincinnati, Louisville, and St. Louis. S.C. Baker & Co. […]
Read MoreOHIO RIVER TOWBOAT COMPANIES HEADQUARTERED AT WHEELING by John Bowman
WHEELING’S OHIO RIVER TRANSPORTATION COMPANIES Armstrong brothers, John A. and Robert P. of Wheeling, West Virginia in 1871, went into the towboat business hauling crossties for the B&O Railroad and coal from the mines at Wegee Creek, Ohio. In 1875, three other Armstrong brothers joined the business, William H., Walter M., and Charles L. These […]
Read MoreSTEAMBOAT UNIFORMS and CAPS CATALOG No. 701
STEAMBOAT UNIFORMS and CAPS 1921 Catalog No. 701 from the John Bowman collection THE CINCINNATI REGALIA CO. Textile Building Fourth and Elm Streets CINCINNATI, OHIO A 12 page Catalog of Popular Uniform Designs for Discerning Rivermen This CINCINNATI REGALIA CO. catalog states they offer: INDIVIDUAL SERVICE “We will furnish special designs to meet individual requirements, […]
Read MoreSTEAMBOAT STACKS LOWERED FOR THE WHEELING SUSPENSION BRIDGE by John Bowman
The River Coal or River Combine (R.C.) 1894 Coal Towboat Valiant down bound at Wheeling has just cleared the Wheeling Suspension Bridge, and the Steel Bridge with lowered stacks. In this, a second photo, the River Combine (R.C.) 1880 Coal Towboat Iron Age down bound at Wheeling has just cleared the Wheeling Suspension Bridge, and […]
Read MoreSTANDARD SAND & GRAVEL CO. WHEELING Towboats, Derrick Boats, and Sand Dredges by John Bowman
Standard Sand & Gravel Co. of Wheeling, West Virginia, was established in 1922. The company started out with the sternwheel, wood hulled, gas-engined towboat Sandow built at Clarington, Ohio, which they converted to a 120 hp Bethlehem diesel in the 1930s. In the 1930s, Standard Sand & Gravel Co. had the Sandow, the 1916, sternwheel, […]
Read MoreAMERICA’S FIRST STEAMBOAT EXPLOSION by John Bowman
Henry Miller Shreve’s Steamboat Washington blows her head! Eight persons scalded to death! EXCERPT from the book, “A HISTORY OF THE STEAMBOAT WASHINGTON THE FIRST SUCCESSFUL WESTERN RIVERS STEAMBOAT” © 2013 John Bowman Wheeling, WV Henry Miller Shreve laid the keel of the riverboat Washington September 10, 1815 in Wheeling, Virginia. The sternwheel steam-powered Washington was […]
Read MorePOINT PLEASANT RIVER MUSEUM FIRE Point Pleasant, West Virginia by John Bowman
West Virginia’s River Museum, the Point Pleasant River Museum, Point Pleasant, WV was heavily damaged by fire July 1, 2018. Several (eight) of my (John Bowman’s) boat models were displayed at the museum. If you would like to donate to the museum’s rebuilding effort, please make a donation to the museum in the name of […]
Read MoreSTEAMBOATS SERVING WHEELING 1811 – 1920 By John Bowman
A 100-year listing of approximately 500 steamboats that served Wheeling businesses. The year shown is the first year they served the port and some would serve Wheeling for many years. From the Civil War years to 1900, eighteen steamboats docked daily at Wheeling. Steamboats porting at Wheeling were charged a wharfage fee of $3.00 per […]
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