By J.D. Wollf
Gamblers, showgirls and southern belles---this is the
romantic image of the steamboat. While the reality may be somewhat more prosaic, steamboats were still the "floating palaces" of the 1800s, and they will always be connected with the American spirit of adventure. You can relive the myth of the steamboat by taking a modern steamboat trip.
Function
A steamboat is a boat that uses steam to move. The steam powers propellers or paddlewheels.
Invention
Steamboats were first invented in the late 1700s, although they first became widely used during the 1800s. Steamboats were the most advanced form of sea transport until the diesel engine replaced steam power in the twentieth century.
History
The steamboat was a popular form of transport in the newly developing United States, especially on the Mississippi River. While steamboats came in all shapes and sizes, the American image of the steamboat, with its flat hull and paddle wheel, comes from these boats.
Culture
Steamboats are now associated with the slightly dangerous romance of the Old South and West. Popular depictions of steamboats come from the musical "Show Boat" and from the Mark Twain Riverboats exhibit at Disney Land.
Tours
Today, you can take a steamboat tour up and down the Mississippi River. For those who don't want to spend days on the river, shorter steamboat tours are popular attractions in New Orleans.
About the Author:
J.D. Wollf has been a writer since 1999 and has been published in a variety of newspapers and newsletters. She has covered everything from local sports to computer accessory reviews and specializes in articles about health issues, particularly in the elderly.
