Steamboat Service Established on the Rappahanock 1828

George Weems established service on the Rappahanock River in 1828 with the steamer Patuxent. George's son Mason L. Weems (pictured on the left) took over for his father and became the master of steamers on the Patuxent and Rappahannnoock for many years. The service provided transport of both freight and passengers to and from Baltimore, Norfolk and Washington, DC. In 1829 The Baltimore and Rappahannock Steam Packet Company was formed and also began service on the Rappahannock with two steamers, the Rappahannock and the Fredericksburg. Competition was stiff and companies like the Rappahannock Steam Packet Company and then latter the Maryland and Virginia Steam Packet Company that was formed in 1847 ultimately gave in to bankruptcy leaving the Weems line as the operator. The Weems line remained in service up until 1904 when it was sold to the Penn. Railroad.(Photograph courtesy of Forbes collection)

Early 1800s - Steamboats used to transport freight

The primary freight transported by Steamboats in the early 1800s was tobacco. Hogsheads or large barrels or casks were used in which the tobacco was packed. These were rolled down to the steamboat wharf either by hand or attached to Oxen and loaded aboard the steamer. The freight was then taken to Baltimore and other large cities where it was sold.(Photograph courtesy of the Mariners' Museum, Newport News, VA)

Plantations prospered by the presence of Steamboats - Early 1800s

Early 1800s - Large plantations lined the shores of the rivers that feed into the Bay. Steamboats offered a fast and efficient way of getting the products produced on the plantations to a much larger market. Both the Rappahannock and the James Rivers were very typical of the kinds of plantations that existed at this time. To learn more about some of these plantations click on this link James River Plantations. (Photograph courtesy of the National Park Service)

Cross Head Engine 1813 - 1860s

The first steamboats to operate on the Rappahannock were powered by a Cross Head Engine. An A-frame placed amidships on either side of the deck contained a vertically placed channeled rail. Into this rail were placed the two ends of a T-bar that were driven up and down by a steam-driven piston. Some likened this to the action of a guillotine, which this type of engine was also referred to as. The two arms of the T-bar or "crossbar" where connected to a crank that in turn was connected to a paddle wheel. The up-and-down motion of the bar thus turned the two paddle wheels on either side of the vessel. This type of engine was used up through the Civil War.(Drawing courtesy of David Holly)

Walking Beam Engine 1830

The vertical beam or walking beam engine was introduced in the 1830s. It derived its name from a large, diamond-shaped structure mounted on an A-frame fore and aft in the middle of the deck; the structure seesawed back and forth. One end of the beam was connected to a steam-driven piston and the other to a crank connected to the paddle wheels. Because this type of engine took up less space than the crosshead it provided more space for freight and passengers. Its configuration provided a powerful engine type. Walking Beam engined powered steamboats were used on the Rappahannock Rive right up until steamboats stopped service on the River in 1937. On the left is a photograph of the Lancaster built in 1892, dismantled in 1927.(Photograph courtesy of the Mariners' Museum, Newport News, VA)

Click here to view a video on how the Walking Beam Steam Engine works.

Propeller Driven Steamboats 1840

Compound (two cylinder) engines with the appearance of huge internal-combustion engines (like those in automobiles) with driving rods rotating the propeller shaft, represented the final advancement in steamboat engine design. Many of the early propeller driven steamboats also had sails thus using the steam engine for times when there wasn't enough wind to drive the vessel. On the left is a photograph of the Anne Arundel built in 1904 scrapped in 1952. (Photograph courtesy of the Mariners' Museum, Newport News, VA)

The Civil War 1861-1865

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The role of steamboats on the Chesapeake assumed critical importance during the Civil War. As a result both the Union and Confederate forces sized commercial steamers that were then converted to gunboats. The Union, through the formation of the Potomac Flotilla, ultimately had the upper hand and quickly gained the advantage as far as the number of gunboats it was able to amass. As a result Union gunboat patrols regularly cruised the Rappahannock in search of Confederate forces and supplies. They also set up a blockade at the mouth of the Rappahannock to stop the Confederacy from sending supplies up the river to towns were they were unloaded and taken to Richmond.Their activities were meet with constant resistance in the form of shore batteries, raiders and extensive smuggling activities.. For more information on the activities during the Civil War click on The Bay At War. At the left is a picture of a model Union Gunboat, the Thomas Freeborn that saw service up and down the Rappahannock River. For an oral history account of one such encounter involving the Thomas Freeborn click here.(Photograph courtesy of the Steamboat Era Museum)

Reconstruction Period 1865 - 1870

From 1865 to 1870, the steamboats operating out of Baltimore jumped from a low of 20 at the end of the war to nearly double that number. Some of the steamers seized by the government returned to their prewar haunts, but many others appeared on the scene. Along the rivers planters, merchants, villages, towns and the steamboat companies themselves erected wharves where the steamers could dock. The steamboat brought life back to the Chesapeake Bay by providing highways for the region's commerce. The photograph on the left shows the steamboat wharf at Port Royal. Below on the left is Saunders Wharf in 1980 and to the right of it is Saunders Wharf in 1990. One of the last remaining steamboat wharfs on the Rappahannock.(Photograph courtesy of the Mariners' Museum, Newport News, VA)

Photographs by David C. Holly

Hurricane of 33

August 23, 1933 a hurricane blasted up the Chesapeake Bay pushing the waters to record heights and reeking havoc on steamboat wharfs up and down the Bay. Many of the wharfs along the Rappahannock were either completely destroyed or left in need of extensive repair. In light of the growing competition from land based transportation, money to make the repairs to the wharfs was not available. As a result the steamboat service along the Rappahannock suffered greatly. In light of the lack of wharfs and stifflening of fire code regulations aboard the boats, and the completion of a bridge across the Rappahannock at Tappahannock, steamboat service on the Rappahannock was greatly reduced. On September 11, 1937 the Anne Arundel piloted by Captain John D. Davis made the last trip from Baltimore to Fredericksburg and back. And so the steamboat era on the Rappahannock River ended. For more informatin on the Hurricane of 33 click here. (1933 Chesapeake-Potomac Hurricane storm surge photograph - photographer unknow)

Wind Power

Prior to the invention and ultimate introduction of the steamboat on the Chesapeake Bay, sailing vessels carried freight and passengers. Although many were very fast they still depended on the wind to power them. Thus when the wind didn't blow the ships stood still. This of course created a big problem in scheduling, a factor that was quickly resolved by the introduction of steamboats. With the introduction of the steamboats sailing vessel were still used on the bay but not as much as the were before the steamboats appeared.The photograph on the left is a schooner under sail on the bay. (Photograph courtesy of the Mattingly family collection)

Church Meeting and Resort Stops

  White Stone Beach located on the Rappahannock was a popular destination for steamboat travelers.The steamboat wharf was located just to the right in the picture shown. The facility offered cottages, apartments, a dance hall, swimming net and a very fine restaurant. This picture was taken in 1968 shortly before the facility was destroyed by fire. (Photograph by Grayson Mattingly)

Pictured here are a group of vacationers staying at the White Stone Beach resort. The steamboat wharf can be seen behind them. Like a lot of steamboat wharfs along the Rappahannock, the wharf extended far out into the river to get the depth of water needed for the steamboats. The picture was taken in the early 30s when steamboats still stopped at White Stone. (Photograph courtesy of the Mattingly family collection)    

Another popular vacationing spot was the Irvington Beach Hotel located on Carter's Creek, just around the corner from the steamboat wharf.((Photograph courtesy of the Steamboat Era Museum)

Another popular gathering place around the turn of the century were the church meeting camps. People from all over would gather during the summer for weeks at a time and stay in the cabins that were located on the grounds and attend the various religious functions conducted during the meeting. Pictured here is Wharton Grove, located on the Corotoman just off of the Rappahannock. (Photograph courtesy of the Mariners' Museum, Newport News, VA)

Wharton Grove had its own steamboat wharf that provided docking for a variety of types of crafts in addition to steamboats. Travel by water in these times (turn of the century) was a lot easier than by land.(Photograph courtesy of the Mariners' Museum, Newport News, VA)

The Automobile Takes Over

Initially it was very difficult getting to the Northern Neck by car. This is a picture, taken in 1918, of rt 1 just north of Fredericksburg and the roads didn't get any better as you approached the Northern Neck. The first automobiles were introduced to the Northern Neck in 1905. By the late 30s however road conditions had improved and the car was rapidly becoming the means to get to and from places like Baltimore, Washington and Richmond.(Photograph courtesy of the Richmond Times Dispatch)

Pictured here is William E. Mattingly's first automobile, a Model T Ford bought in March 1915. William and his wife Elsie made many trips to the Northern Neck initially by steamer and then latter by car. William Mattingly's stories about going to the Northern Neck on the steamboat can be viewed by clicking on this connection. (Photograph courtesy of the Mattingly family collection)

New Industries

By the late 1800s and early 1900s canneries, like this one located at the wharf at Merry Point, began to appear. Being on the wharf made it easy for the operators of the factories to ship the canned goods out by steamer. All sorts of items were canned - tomatoes, beans, fish and oysters. These canneries provided the local Waterman and farmers with a means of marketing their goods. The canneries also provided local folks with employment. Bottom line, the canneries brought prosperity to an area that was in great need of an economical boost.(Photograph courtesy of Isabel Gough)

Baltimore Harbor 1912

The city of Baltimore was the center of activity on the Bay. Steamboats shown here in the harbor (circa 1912) departed daily from here loaded with passengers and freight. Baltimore was the lifeline for the Northern Neck. Boats returning from the Neck would bring goods produced by Waterman and farmers that were then sold in Baltimore.

(Photograph courtesy of the Mariners' Museum, Newport News, VA)

The Last Steamboat Service On The Bay

Steamboats stopped running on the Rappahanock in 1937. There were still steamers operating on the Bay. Steamers operated between Baltimore, Washington and Norfolk up into the 50s. There were also a number of excursion steamers like the one shown in the photograph that provided day trips to local amusement parks and historic sites. (Photograph courtesy of the Mariners' Museum, Newport News, VA)

Steam Powered Menhaden Boats

In addition to the steamboats that carried passengers and freight to and from the Northern Neck, there were also steam powered Menhaden fishing boats that operated out of Reedville, VA. These "steamers" as they were called operated up into the late 30's. (Photograph courtesy of Meredith Robbins)

The Bridge at Tappahannock 1927

A key factor that contributed to the end of steamboats on the Rappahannock River was the construction of the Downing Bridge at Tappahannock in 1927. This allowed easy passage for cars and trucks to go to Richmond, Washington, and Baltimore. The photograph at the left taken in 1963 shows cars on the old Downing Bridge with the new Downing Bridge, on the left, under construction.(Photograph courtesy of Northumberland Echo)

Ship to Shore Action 1862

Many homes along the shores of the Rappahannock River were fired upon during the Civil War. The house shown here is Bellvue located at Ware's wharf, just south of Tappahannock. During the war the Union gunboat Thomas Freeborn thinking that Confederate soldiers were stationed at the house fired numerous rounds at the house. Neill Ware, a descendent of the occupants during the war, provides an oral history account of what happened. By clicking here you can view his story along with several others that have similar stories about houses that were shelled.

(Photograph courtesy of Neill and Betsy Ware)

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