The Western River Steamboat (Ed Rachal Foundation Nautical Archaeology Series) [Paperback]

Adam I. Kane (Author), Alan L. Bates (Foreword)

Book Description

Series: Ed Rachal Foundation Nautical Archaeology Series | Publication Date: February 2, 2004

The first Western steamboat was built in 1811 in Pittsburgh, and thousands more were constructed in the years before the Civil War. These waterborne vehicles helped define the nineteenth-century trans-Appalachian West. Decades of incremental changes created a distinctive watercraft, and the steamboat became perfectly suited to the conditions of the Western rivers, transforming the West from a wilderness into a place of economic significance.

In The Western River Steamboat, nautical archaeologist Adam I. Kane traces the development of this once commonplace vessel. Kane describes the importance and impact of the steamboat in American history and complements his historical analysis with clear, concise technical explanations of the construction and evolution of Western river steamboats.

Using photographs, drawings, and charts to help readers visualize the early steamboats and the study of their remains by archaeologists, Kane explains how the rivers dictated the design of the hull, why stern wheels replaced side wheels, how hogging chains kept hulls from buckling, and why safety valves were of little use when engineers regularly overloaded them.

Anyone intrigued by the vessel that changed America's West, in addition to those studying historical or nautical archaeology, maritime history, or cultural resource management, will find this book of interest.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

". . . a reference manual that no steamboat researcher will be able to do without." -- Annalies Corbin, East Carolina University

" . . . an invaluable contribution in this brief history of the western river steamboat. . . . recommended for researchers as well as students interested in the history of transportation of people and things." -- Colonial Latin American Historical Review, Winter 2005 --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

About the Author

ADAM I. KANE works as a nautical archaeologist at the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum in Vermont. He holds a master’s degree in anthropology from Texas A&M University. He has done extensive fieldwork at archaeological sites throughout the United States and has written numerous technical reports.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: TAMU Press (February 2, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585443433
• ISBN-13: 978-1585443437
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,492,398 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Study of Steamboat Construction, March 18, 2011

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mastermindquiet - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Western River Steamboat (Ed Rachal Foundation Nautical Archaeology Series) (Hardcover)

An academic but nevertheless interesting look at the steamboats of the American west from their start till about the time of the Civil War. Kane using nautical archeology and research to show how the construction of the steamboats evolved from near duplicates of Atlantic coast vessels to ones specifically designed for the most efficient use on the western rivers. He thoroughly covers the design and construction of the boats, assisted by many photos and illustrations. Although the book is rather short, it covers the topic very well and would be an excellent companion book to other studies like Steamboats on the Western Rivers: An Economic and Technological History by Louis C. Hunter.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well done archaeology of technological adaptation, February 19, 2010

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Stringybark (Canberra, Australia) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Western River Steamboat (Ed Rachal Foundation Nautical Archaeology Series) (Paperback)

This book is a discovery through historical archaeology, of the lost knowledge of how the Mississipi steamboats were built. It structures this as the story of technological adaptation of shipbuilding to the environmental and economic circumstances of Mississipi Basin settlement and development. The content is focussed on hull design and building, and, drawing on archaeological excvation of a hulls found in the river mud, does this very well. The discoveries from excavation are augmented with historical research. Being an academic book, it is thorough and expects intelligence of the reader, but is well within the ability of an 'educated layperson' to read. Unlike some strains of academia, it is thankfully free of ponderous and fashionable theories, and stays down to earth and focussed on its topic. It does however have very good endnotes and references, so it is always possible to answer the question "how does he know that?". It presents many diagrams of hull structure, so is well illustrated, and the text is economically (well) written. It does not give 'ship's lines' or worked-up plans and elevations, so modellers will need to go elsewhere for that. But is is an excellent primary resource for those interested in this branch of 19th century wooden shipbuilding.