Download or read book Steamboats on the Hudson River written by William H. Ewen and published by Arcadia Publishing. This book was released on 2011 with total page 132 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Hudson River was the cradle of American steamboating. While many people think of steamboats on inland rivers like the Mississippi, the type of steamboat that evolved on the Hudson was far more typical of those that operated throughout North America. From Robert Fulton's steamboat through the last steamer on the river almost 170 years later, these boats were an integral part of the life and commerce of the Hudson River valley. Whether it was a huge 400-foot side-wheeler, a small freight boat, excursion boats, or a ferry crossing, almost every river community was served by a steamboat.