UPDATE: This section will now include any and all maritime references, whether the item is a ship's passenger list, news of a shipwreck on the Atlantic or Pacific, or news from one of America's riverboats.

This special section of TheOldenTimes.com features old newspaper articles about life on the America's great rivers. Originally, I included only the Mississippi River system, but since transportation by water was important throughout the country, I'm adding any and all steamboat & river life references here.

America's rivers have long been an important commercial shipping route, but they were once also an important way for folks to get around. Travel by water was often faster and safer than travel by land.  Otherwise, it was a horse and "iffy" roads, at best.

Departures and arrivals, occasional passenger news, shipping company news, cargos, river levels and weather all interested the folks whose livelihoods depended on the river, as well as travelers. Most of the Memphis newspapers carried a daily River News section, and I suspect that most river town newspapers up and down the Mississippi did the same. Since I have more Memphis papers than papers from those other towns, that's what you'll see the most of.... for now!

As always, every personal name will be in the Index of Names.

Note: The Index of Names is always your best bet for finding a specific name!

Each of these was scanned from an original issue of an old newspaper in my personal collection. They appear in the order in which they were added to this website.

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