THE STEAMBOAT ERA

STEAMBOAT ERA DAY IN VIRGINIA

"STEAMBOAT STORIES" BY ANNE LONG MCCLINTOCK

Though steamboats plied the waters of the Chesapeake Bay in the early 1800s, it was not until the mid 1800s that they were used frequently as mail boats, ferrys and commerce.

By the turn of the 20th century, hundreds of steamers carried thousands of passengers from Baltimore to Norfolk and all towns in between. By the late 1800s steam travel had become the thing to do, excursion travel flourished. Commerce grew in leaps and bounds, the small family farms became large farms. Canneries popped up everywhere. Tomatoes were the main crop in summer, oysters in winter. At one point 85% of all the oysters in the world came from the Chesapeake bay and were shipped by steamers around the world.

Hundreds of steamboat ports lined the rivers and tributaries
of the Chesapeake Bay.

Small towns blossomed as they became destination sites for travelers from the cities.
For example the little village of Irvington had a skating rink, an opera house and a beach resort. The early 20th century brought a new invention that began to catch everyone's favor, the automobile. As they became more affordable and people became more enonamored the automobile became the preferred mode of transporation. However roads were not good, no highway system was in place and few bridges existed, so for commerce steamers were the best provider. It was in the 1930s that the era was really waning, passenger travel was low. the government required steamboat lines to put sprinkler systems in the steamers, (not a cost effective effort) and a hurricane in 1933 knocked out most of the wharfs.

It appeared the era was fast approaching its end. It was in September of 1937, Captain J.C. Davis, a popular captain, of a very popular excursion steamer, the Anne Arundel made his request to management, "Let me load the vessel with all my loyal patrons, family and friends and take one last voyage and say farewell to all my stops along the way." They said yes, and the "last run of the Anne Arundel" began September 14, 1937. Today, we mark that date as "Steamboat Era Day" in Virginia.

Plan your visit to allow time for the many other museums and historic sites here in the lower Northern Neck of Virginia.

Our museum volunteers will be happy to help you plan an itinerary that matches your interests.