The Ohio River Trade, 1788-1830

The study traces the evolution of river craft from small canoes and pirogues to barges, keels, flatboats, and the later introduction of the steamboat, emphasizing shifts in construction, propulsion, and voyage duration. It profiles boatmen as a rough but indispensable workforce who navigated hazards, defended cargoes, and shaped river life. It describes principal articles of traffic and the river links that connected inland settlements with southern ports, showing how freight rates affected commerce. It examines emigration by families using river transport and how river towns expanded into commercial centers. It contrasts pre-steam limitations with steam navigation’s effects on speed, frequency, and market integration.