April 27, 1865
The Nation's worst maritime disaster happened on the Mississippi a fair piece south of Cape Girardeau.
May 28, 1819
The first steamboat on the Missouri River arrived at Franklin. Most riverboats could not traverse the Missouri because of the strong current and the extreme number of submerged snags.
June 30, 1870
The famous steamboat race between the Natchez and the Robert E. Lee began in New Orleans on this date, at 5 PM. It was a 1200 mile upstream race to St. Louis, and the record of 3 days, 18 hours, and about 20 minutes still stands for commercial boats.
September 5, 1856
The steamboat Arabia sank at Westport Landing. It has been raised and is now a wonderful museum.