Tuesday, February 15, 2022

Rocks and Rapids vs. Steam and Steel: The Story of Steamboats on the Susquehanna River

The Rumsey Monument overlooking the Potomac River
Author's Photo


Standing high above the Potomac River in Shepardstown, West Virginia sits a monument to a man and a machine of his own design. While many are probably aware of this revolutionary machine, few probably know this gentleman by name. So how does this pertain to Central Pennsylvania? When his invention made its way to the region, it inadvertently set in motion a new era for transportation.