Nicholas Roosevelt (inventor) and New Orleans (steamboat)
New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana
Marker Inscription
The Steamer New Orleans On January 10, 1812 the steamer "New Orleans" commanded by Nicholas Roosevelt, arrived on this spot. It was the first steamboat to successfully navigate the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. Steamboats were a major factor in the growth of New Orleans as a world port
Erected by Louisiana Department of Commerce and Industry
The Story
On January 10, 1812, the steamboat New Orleans, commanded by Nicholas Roosevelt, completed the first successful steam-powered voyage down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers and tied up at this spot. The passage proved that boats could travel upstream against the current, transforming inland commerce. New Orleans would grow into one of the world's great ports on the strength of the steamboat trade.
Why it matters
It opened the age of steam navigation on America's rivers, binding the interior to the sea and accelerating the nation's westward growth.
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Related people
- · Nicholas Roosevelt
Related events
- · First steamboat voyage on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers
Themes & tags
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