A Cruise Through History with the Steamboat Era Museum

from Lancaster by the Bay – 2022 Visitors & Business Guide

by Lancaster By the Bay Chamber of Commerce

History Meets Fitness: Two Studios Have a Storied Past

Full Steam

A Cruise Through History with the Steamboat Era Museum

Steamboats started cruising down the Rappahannock River in 1827.

Lancaster County owes much of its history to the Steamboat. These fabrics and lace, and the latest fashions. Next, they loaded on the items the boats connected the Northern Neck bound by three bodies of water – the Potomac River, the Chesapeake Bay, and the Rappahannock River. At first, sailboats connected these areas.

“But men wanted to go faster, and on a timetable,” says Museum Manager Candee Pevahouse. “Steam pumps and engines were developed and in use in England and Wales since 1698, but no one yet thought of putting one on a boat.”

In 1807, Robert Fulton designed a boat with a steam engine, ushering a revolution in water transportation. In the Chesapeake Bay, the first steamboat steamed out of Baltimore in 1813 and traveled to Elkton MD. Steamboats started cruising down the Rappahannock River in 1827.

By 1870, there were 40 “steamers” on the Bay and rivers. Stores and canneries were built near the steamboat wharves, oyster shucking houses and warehouses sprung up. With regular service from the steamers, newspapers and mail arrived in a timely manner to connect the region to the world. Produce, oysters, crabs, and fish were fresher when they arrived at the market and therefore earned locals a higher income. Travel for pleasure grew, too, leading travelers to places like the Tides Inn.

“When a steamer neared a wharf, she blew her distinctive whistle,” Pevahouse says. “Townsfolk heard the whistle and hurried to the wharf to watch the comings and goings of people and goods that could not be made on the Northern Neck, such as cast-iron stoves, shoes, farm equipment, dolls, shingles, farmers and watermen produced such eggs, chickens, cattle, pigs, oysters on ice, canned vegetables, fish, and fish roe.” The 1900s welcomed another revolution in transportation and communication – the first flight in 1903, the Model T in 1908, buses in the 1920s. That led to the dwindling prevalence of the Steamboat. By the 1920s, there were fewer than 15 steamers on the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers. A bridge to Tappahannock was built in 1927 and the stock market crashed in 1929, which led to the final demise of steamboat companies. Once busy wharves went unused and fell into ruin. “The final strike against the steamers was the 1933 hurricane that travelled up the Chesapeake Bay, causing 10–12-foot storm surges and destroying property, crops, boats, houses, and those decaying wharves,” Pevahouse says. The last steamboat on the Rappahannock River took a farewell tour September 14-15, 1937. All of this history and more is encapsulated in interactive exhibits at the Steamboat Era Museum in Irvington. “I was impressed with the volunteers and their dedication to keeping alive the story of life during the time of the steamboats as they had many personal stories of their families during that era,” says Pevahouse, who first started as a volunteer at the museum. Recently reopened after closing during the pandemic, the newest exciting exhibit is the Pilothouse. It is the largest surviving remnant of the Chesapeake Bay steamboat era from the steamer “Potomac.” The pilothouse was the steamboat’s upper most structure, which consisted of the wheelhouse, captain’s quarter, and crew quarters. The Potomac was 176 feet in length, 41 feet at the beam, featured 37 staterooms, and a crew of 36.

The history of the steamboat is accessible and fun for all ages here. One annual event is the Children’s Build-aSteamboat event which opens up every Friday June 24 to August 19 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. During this unique offering, children learn about daily life during the steamboat era (18131937), color and put together a wooden steamer, and race them in a kiddie pool.

Save the Date for these Community Events at the Steamboat Era Museum

11th Annual Irvington

Crab Festival: Saturday, September 17, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. – Join all of Irvington for all-youcan-eat crabs, BBQ, hot dogs, coleslaw and beer and wine for purchase. Enjoy DJay Daum of Time Passages Mobile DJ Services, take your chances at a raffle and more to benefit the Steamboat Era Museum.

Annual Holiday Marketplace:

Local artisans sell their crafts including watercolor prints, jewelry, knitted and quilted items, copper ornaments, and so much more. Shop the Marketplace November 25, 26 and 27; December 3, 4, 10, 11, 17 and 18.