Ports of call upriver from New Orleans to St. Louis

They would stop where ever they had freight and/or passengers to load or unload. They did not make "shore stops" in the sense that tourist boats of this era do. I've seen a map of the Mississippi River between NOLA and Baton Rouge dated around 1870 and there were over 100 potential landings a boat could have made. So your question is not as easy to answer as you might think. But, I would think that they did have business usually at the major towns and cities.

The steamboat lines would frequently put ads in the newspapers of their ports of call. They would often mention destinations from one point to another, usually the major destinations like cities and towns. So checking microfilm of old newspapers (or whatever they have now) in libraries will yield some of that information. But, as Jim mentioned, they made stops in the middle of nowhere at landings nobody but the locals and the rivermen knew existed. But only if there was a call to do so. Otherwise, they steamed right on by.

Map of Plantations & Landings on the Lower Mississippi

At the Howard Steamboat Museum we have an old and large framed map, PLANTATIONS ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER - NATCHEZ to NEW ORLEANS - 1858. It is a copy of Persac's Map, also known as Norman's Chart of the Mississippi River. It is amazing to see the hundreds of plantations (the owners names are often the only name listed - for instance, OAK ALLEY is listed only under the name of owner J.T. ROMAN) where steamboats made landings, often answering a hail by means of a waved handkerchief or a lantern at night. Imagine it -- NO cell phones or electronic devices!!!

TRIVIA: When I was a crew member on the DELTA QUEEN in 1978, I purchased a newer reproduction of this big map (54" x 34") at The Cabildo in New Orleans. Capt. Lexie coveted my purchase and was delighted when we landed at Houmas House Plantation soon thereafter and she could purchase one from the gift shop there. I have a slide of her standing atop the levee, triumphantly holding her map! I had mine framed and it takes up a lot of one wall in my home! The maps have been reprinted in numerous editions and are still available (including smaller versions) at various plantation and museum gift shops along the river and on Amazon.Com, Ebay, etc. Pelican Publishing Company has owned the copyright to the map since 1931. The map shows up in numerous places and, until recently, the Dairy Queen at Natchez had one on display! It is truly fascinating -- especially for those of us who love the river and plantations!

I saw one framed in a museum in Nashville about six years ago. They din't have them for sale, but I did try to photograph it with limited success. I'll try to get one of these. My old Corp of Engineers book of the Ohio River shows all the farms...plantations if you will...along that river recompiled in 1934. It shows "Rayl" landing spelled as Rail...where the UNITED STATES and the AMERICA collided in 1868...Cap'n Walnut.

Plantation map

There used to be one of those maps hung on a post in the DQ's After Cabin Lounge, seems to me it was by the water fountain...

Last time I was in the Aft Cabin Lounge, the map was still there. I, too, have a copy hanging on the wall in our living room!

Ian, one thing that made the boats stop was wood -- as in wood for fuel. There were numerous woodyards up and down the river where not only fuel would be taken, but freight and passengers, too, if they were there.

Another thing to keep in mind is how the South developed. For instance, there was absolutely NO development along the Mississippi between Vicksburg and Memphis, as that area that's known as "the Delta", was strictly hardwood forest and swamp until many years after the Civil War. It was just no-man's land, with possibly a few Choctaw Indians living there. All of the towns on the lower river that have survived are on high ground: Memphis, Vicksburg and Natchez. As previously mentioned, there were a few plantations right on the river, but even these petered out above Natchez.

Hope this helps.

Meridian, MS

I was just in Meridian, MS this past weekend for the Soule Steamfest/Railfest and Organ Rally. I was surprised to find a copy of this map hanging on the wall ofa new restaurant across the street from Union Station. It was framed and looked like a fresh copy.

I recently hung my map in the hallway to the steamboat bedroom, where there was a perfect spot for it.

Question re Meridian. Is there still a little kiddy size steam locomotive in a museum there? And a vintage carousel in a park in a predominantly black neighborhood? Either one of those should have been part of the event you described.

Dentzel Carousel

We had a special event on Thursday evening at the Dentzel Carousel with a pizza buffet and riding the carousel. The building is the only building built from original Dentzel blueprints. I did not see or hear anything about the steam train however. The carousel was built for the St. Louis World's Fair and the city of Meridian bought it and it has been in the park ever since.

Thank you for all the help

Thanks to all who answered. I ordered the map on Amazon. I have also discovered some wonderful contemperaneuous maps in the Map Room of the British Library.
Now there's another query - best start another thread
Thanks again
Ian
Ian Strathcarron Welcome to the homesite of the Mark Twain travel trilogy