Welcome to the Steamboat Era Museum
Oral History Archives Center.
"A way of life in the tidewater country belongs
to the ages." -- Robert Burgess
Our archives contain abstracts and logs along with
a cross reference index of the video recordings of people who
lived during the Steamboat Era. The Chesapeake Bay's love affair
with the steamboat lasted 150 years. During the Steamboat Era
over 300 boats plied the Bay and her tributaries. Steamers provided
tidewater Virginia with reliable freight and passenger service
to Baltimore, Washington, and Norfolk.
With their demise a way of living vanished, but
steamers had been an essential and invaluable part of social change
and progress for our region. These vessels and their crews are
remembered with deep respect and affection by some witnesses to
the Steamboat Era.
This project has been made possible by funding from
the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, the Verizon Foundation
and the Scott Opler Fund.
Unedited copies of the interviews can be ordered
by filling out an order form.
To view edited/enhanced interviews on line please
click on the Steamboat Era Stories link below.
NEW Streaming Video Steamboat Era Stories
To learn how to use this web site visit the site tour segment.
copyright 2004 Mattingly Productions,
Ltd. All rights reserved Legal/Terms of Use