Paddlewheel steamers
Audio recording
Around 1849, excitement swept through a small farming community in the Meramec River Valley, where three counties meet, with news that two steamboats, The Petrel and The Dove, were navigating the Meramec River towards the Moselle Iron Works. This news, spreading from house to house, led to a large crowd gathering near Dr. Jeffries’ Farm to witness the steamboats.
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As they passed, the community watched The Petrel and The Dove head upriver, load iron, and prepare for their return journey. The Petrel successfully navigated downstream first. However, The Dove, delayed and facing a falling river, discarded some iron to proceed but eventually ran aground, waiting nearly a year for sufficient rain to move further down only to be destroyed. This event remained the community’s most significant until the railroad’s arrival.