The Mississippi Steamboat Era in Historic Photographs: Natchez to New Orleans, 1870-1920 (Paperback)

~ (Editor), Thomas H. Gandy (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Between the Civil War and the turn of the century, the Mississippi River steamboat enjoyed its golden era: the boats were bigger, more elaborate and more efficient than their antebellum predecessors, and for a time they held off the railroad's challenge to their claim of being the predominant mode of transporting Deep South cotton. Here 170 pictures, taken by Natchez photographers Henry C. Norman and his son Earl, capture the period in startling clarity and freshness. There are shots of elegantly appointed dining rooms, workers posing in blackened clothes in front of furnaces, roustabouts unloading cotton and other cargo, passengers chatting leisurely on decks where spittoons were placed every six feet. The photos also capture river-town culturethe wharfs, wharehouses, saloonsand show the mystery of the Mississippi, whose erratic force sooner or later destroyed most of the boats pictured. This is a wonderful document that includes informative essays and captions.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description

Considered among the finest photographs of the Mississippi ever taken, 170 recently discovered photographs offer vivid, detailed, beautifully composed images of major steamboats, picturesque river towns, landings, floods, cargoes, great waterway itself. Detailed, informative text. Index. Bibliography. Preface.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications (April 1, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0486252604
• ISBN-13: 978-0486252605
• Product Dimensions: 11.5 x 8.7 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #382,901 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #1 in	Books > Nonfiction > Transportation > Ferries
  #24 in	Books > Travel > United States > States > Mississippi
  #90 in	Books > Arts & Photography > Photography > Travel > United States > South

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Historic Photos and more, July 10, 2000

By	Nori Muster "Nori Muster" (Mesa, AZ United States) - See all my reviews

This coffee-table-size paperback offers about 100 historic black and white photos of the steamboat era: the boats, the people and the towns. A steamboat lover's dream at a good price.

5.0 out of 5 stars Pictorial on River Steamboats on the Mississippi River in the late 1800's, May 28, 2006

By	Craig Dokken (Chandler, AZ USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Excellant book if your interested in Steamboats and how they traveled the river, great for an artist for drawing and understanding the construction of actual steamboats. It also has a few pictures of other modes of transportation for the late 1800's. Very economical book and a great coffee table book with heavy paper.

5.0 out of 5 stars very entertaining, March 7, 2003

By	R. Elmore "Pete Schmitz" (Northport, Al United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book admittedly covers a small area, but it contains a wonderful collection of photos you will enjoy reviewing at length, and it isn't like there are a plethora of books out there on this subject.