Historic Boats

What does June have in common with April when it comes to the andamp lt a href andamp quot http www kxnet com t missouri-riverandamp quot class andamp quot kxInlineLinkandamp quot andamp gt Missouri Riverandamp lt aandamp gt The river rised due to flooding in the spring and mountain runoff in the summer Its not as big of a deal nowbut in the 1800 s it was important for commerce and moving people In this months edition of inside history andamp lt a href andamp quot http www kxnet com t tom-gerhardtandamp quot class andamp quot kxInlineLinkandamp quot andamp gt Tom Gerhardtandamp lt aandamp gt gives you a look at some of the boats You didn t see any of these on the Missouri in the 1800 s But you did see these Mark andamp quot Without annual rise in the river due to spring flooding andamp lt a href andamp quot http www kxnet com t bismarck-ndandamp quot class andamp quot kxInlineLinkandamp quot andamp gt Bismarckandamp lt aandamp gt or even andamp lt a href andamp quot http www kxnet com t fargo-ndandamp quot class andamp quot kxInlineLinkandamp quot andamp gt Fargoandamp lt aandamp gt would not be where they are today it took the annual rise in order to float boats on the andamp lt a href andamp quot http www kxnet com t red-riverandamp quot class andamp quot kxInlineLinkandamp quot andamp gt Red Riverandamp lt aandamp gt and it took the two rises march and june in order to make navigation possible on the Missouri andamp quot Missouri River boats were shallowthe paddles were in the back to distribute the weight without drawing much water Mark andamp quot Riverboats were crucial not only for importing food it was the andamp lt a href andamp quot http www kxnet com t armyandamp quot class andamp quot kxInlineLinkandamp quot andamp gt Armyandamp lt aandamp gt contracts because there were a number of military installations in addition as the reservations were founded there weregovernment contracts to supply the necessary clothing and food in addition river was pound for pound the cheapest way of transporting goods but with the coming of the railroad and the lowering of price it changed andamp quot The railroad literally killed riverboat traffic The Northern Pacific was completed in 1883and the Great Northern in 1887 But although riverboat traffic was short lived in terms of historythey played a vital role in developing andamp lt a href andamp quot http www kxnet com t north-dakotaandamp quot class andamp quot kxInlineLinkandamp quot andamp gt North Dakotaandamp lt aandamp gt And many of their names will long be remembered Mark andamp quot The first riverboat on the missouri was the yellowstone and it is illustrated by an artist named karl bodmer who was with prince maximilian in 1833-34 the last steamboat operating on the missouri was the andamp lt a href andamp quot http www kxnet com t mandan-ndandamp quot class andamp quot kxInlineLinkandamp quot andamp gt Mandanandamp lt aandamp gt and her sister ship the mcpherson they were us army snagboats and they were steel hulled and they were stationed here in bismarck where the modern heskett plant is andamp quot A little bit of historical trivia for you We told you the first boat on the Missouri was the Yellowstone The first boat on the Red River in eastern North Dakota was the Ansom Northrup in 1859