Steamboat Era on the Wabash River

By: Allen Shotwell Ph.D. | Ivy Tech | Terre Haute Campus

The Golden Age for steamboat traffic on the Wabash River near Terre Haute occurred between the Civil War and World War I. Although the Steamboat Era in the United States peaked in the 1830s, the Wabash did not see the same level of traffic as other rivers in the early nineteenth century because its navigability was never actively improved and maintained by the Federal Government the way Ohio and the Mississippi rivers were. Only after the Civil War ended and the Erie Canal became less viable, did the federal government, encouraged by Indiana politicians, invest in making the Wabash River more navigable, allocating money to the Army Corps of Engineers for clearing the river and keeping an open channel.

Commercial Activity

Uriah Shoemaker was one of the earliest Terre Haute businessmen to invest in steamboat traffic on the Wabash River after the Civil War. He purchased a surplus Army steamboat, the Romeo, and hired it out for hauling goods and for transportation up and down the river. The Romeo made regular trips downriver to Vincennes and upriver as far as Covington. Shewmaker only operated the steamboat for two years before selling it, but even after Romeo’s short stint was finished, the Shoemaker family remained prominent in river commerce in Terre Haute, maintaining a boathouse and boat manufacturing business well into the twentieth century. Other companies followed Uriah Shewmaker’s lead, including the Hudnut Hominy Company, a national company that produced hominy and other products from corn and had its headquarters in Terre Haute. The Hudnut Company used steamboats to haul corn grown in the river bottoms to their plant in Terre Haute at harvest time. During the rest of the year, they used their boats to transport people and other products like wood up and down the river. 

River commerce played a large enough role in the Terre Haute economy, that local newspapers regularly reported on river traffic, accidents, and water levels. One reporter assigned to the river beat was Edward Price Bell, who would go on to report for Chicago newspapers, to work in London as a foreign correspondent, and even to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. But it wasn’t just commerce that connected Terre Haute citizens to the river. The Wabash was also a place for all kinds of leisure activities.

Leisure Activity

Leisure boating on the Wabash River was prominent in the late nineteenth century and a favorite hobby for many Terre Haute residents. Many wealthy and elite families had their own boats that they used to cruise the river or to go on hunting and fishing trips at various places along the Wabash, including Greenfield Bayou south of the city. Various clubs, like the Joker Club, were also formed so that their members could pool their funds to purchase or build leisure boats. One well-known boat was the Diana built by Commodore Chauncy Twaddle of Terre Haute and his friends and used by them for hunting and fishing excursions south of the city. Sunday school classes, church groups, and businesses also regularly used the river for excursions trips, hiring river barges and steamboats to go picnicking along its banks or to visit various locations for outings.

The River’s Effect

During its Golden Era, the Wabash River was a major aspect of daily life in Terre Haute. Many of the city’s most famous residents in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries made references to the river and felt deep connections to it. One of the best examples is the writer, Theodore Dreiser, who the city and the river in a book about a car trip he had taken with his friend, the artist Franklin Booth, from New York City to Indiana where they had both grown up. Theodore’s brother, Paul Dresser, famously wrote the song, “On the Banks of the Wabash” a sentimental song about youth and young love, but Theodore’s book, A Hoosier Holiday, was written much later after Paul had passed away. It described Theodores view of Terre Haute and the river when he came back to visit the place where he had grown up and included illustrations by Booth. Dreiser and Booth were caught up in the city’s industriousness, and choose a view of the city along the Wabash River, as seen from the western bank, as representative of this defining characteristic. The Wabash River meant different things to people from Terre Haute. The two brothers, Theodore and Paul, incorporated it into their art in different ways. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, just like today, the Wabash meant commerce, leisure, and industry.

Memories of Mussels on the Wabash

As one would imagine, growing up near the Wabash River in the 1960s was a vastly different experience than it is today. Mike Guglielmetti was able to attest to that in a recent interview. From memories of the water, the community that surrounded it, or the wildlife that resided in the river, Guglielmetti provided insight into the Wabash River's impact in the past.

The Old Ways of the Water

Mike quickly revealed through his fond memories on the river just how impactful it was as a child. Recalling the river, the first thing Guglielmetti mentioned was his grandparents' cabin. Before purchasing a house on the river, his family members would spend the summers riverside in the small cabin. Their love for this eventually led to their family owning a block of houses along the river bank. The ability to dock a boat in their backyard led to many fishing adventures. Mike's father would obtain bait from searching local streams and creeks, and the fun would begin. Even when it did not involve fishing, hanging out on the boat was a popular pastime. Guglielmetti mentioned that they were even able to water ski on the Wabash River at times. To this day, Mike still regularly ventures down to the river but notes how it has changed. A significant change he noticed was the water quality. As a child, he remembers the water was safe enough to do nearly any water activity. 

Mussels and the Wabash

Musseling on the Wabash was not an activity that was unique to the Guglielmetti family. It was a popular activity in nearly any community along the river. Mike described the technique he was familiar with as one that was commonly used in the river community. This technique involved wading in the river along the banks while holding onto a boat. Using their feet, they would feel for the mussels in the sand. But, the process did not conclude after the hunting portion was over. 

After gathering buckets full of mussels, the Guglielmetties would boil them. Boiling the mussels allowed them to open, which was otherwise nearly impossible. After that, the meat would be taken out and sorted through for pearls. The meat was repurposed as fish bait, but the pearls and shells were more often than not sold to companies. Although rare, pearls were commonly bought by various businesses for jewelry. The shells would sell for $500 a ton and were typically sold to companies that would utilize them to make buttons. As this hobby became popular, it created a significant issue. The mussel population began to decline seriously. Over time, mussel regulations and restrictions were instituted, and the hobby of musseling began to die out. Although mussels started to decline, the community around them did not.

Community and Family

Guglielmetti acknowledged how special being raised in a small town on the river was in support and a sense of community. The first thing that Mike brought up was how close-knit the community was. Everyone along the river knew each other and knew what was happening along the river. This included Mike’s dad, who was known for keeping things along the river in check. In Blandford, Indiana, where Mike was born and raised, the only grocery stores were small family-owned ones. Penny candy and glass bottle collection for the deposits provided fun for the kids running around the town. In circumstances that warranted it, the community would quickly come together to support families that needed extra help. Tough times were typical, but the community and the support it provided were unique.

The Impact

The interview that Mike provided shows, without a doubt the river can impact a community beyond what we can imagine. As a society, we have gone away from our river. As mussels have begun to make a comeback, improvements along the river have recently been recognized. Once again, the importance of the Wabash River is slowly being realized.

Community and Family

Guggliemetti acknowledged how special being raised in a small town on the river was in support and a sense of community. The first thing that Mike brought up was how close-knit the community was. Everyone along the river knew each other and knew what was happening along the river. This included Mike’s dad, who was known for keeping things along the river in check. In Montezuma, where Mike was raised, the only grocery stores were small family-owned ones. Penny candy and glass bottle deposits provided fun for the kids running around the town. In circumstances that warranted it, the community would quickly come together to support families that needed extra help. Tough times were typical, but the community and the support it provided were unique.

The Impact

The interview that Mike provided shows, without a doubt the river can impact a community beyond what we can imagine. As a society, we have gone away from our river. As mussels have begun to make a comeback, improvements along the river have recently can be recognized. Once again, the importance of the Wabash River is slowly being realized.