Front:
^25
Washington 1816
ORLEANS
1989
20113
20
LA
Back:
STEAMBOAT WASHINGTON — 1816
First Day of Issue: March 3, 1989
First Issue Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
When steamboats arrived on the Mississippi River, it soon
became evident that the boats would have to evolve to
meet the requirements of the river. A steamboat was
needed that would draw less water; it had to move on the
water instead of through it. The craft would need a wide,
shallow hull, with heavy boilers and machinery on top of
the hull rather than inside it. Captain Henry Shreve took
an important step toward building such a steamboat in
1816 with the Washington. Shreve incorporated two
changes. He built a deck over the hull and placed the
heavy boilers on this deck, and he replaced the bulky low-
pressure engine used on older steamboats with a new,
high-pressure engine. Not only did the new engine pro-
duce enough power for the strong currents of the river, it
also made the boat much lighter. The Washington could
make the trip from New Orleans to Louisville in twenty-
five days, an amazing feat in her time. The success of the
Washington spurred design development, and soon other
steamboats were being built like her.
No. 89-9
©1989 The Maximum Card Collection
A Division of Unicover Corporation Cheyenne, WY 82008-0007
Original painting by John Swatsley
