Packet boat

Packet boats were small boats designed for domestic mail, passenger and freight transportation in the United States along rivers and canals. They were extensively used in the 19th century and featured regularly scheduled service.

When ships were put into such service in the 18th century across the Atlantic Ocean between Great Britain and the colonies, services were called the packet trade.

History

When the Erie Canal opened in New York state in 1825 along the Mohawk River, demand quickly rose for travelers to be accommodated.

Packet boats were typically narrow (about 14 feet) to accommodate canals, but might be 70-90 feet long. In the cabin space they could carry up to 60 passengers. Packet boats were drawn through the Erie Canal by teams of two or three horses or mules. Compared to overland travel, the boats cut journey time in half for the journey and were much more comfortable. Travelers could get from New York City to Buffalo in ten days, with a combination of sailing and packet boats. Some passengers took the boats both to see the Erie Canal and the natural landscapes. Significantly, thousands of others used packet boats to emigrate to Ohio and other parts of the Midwest. These boats were also instrumental in the settling of and travel within Upstate New York through the branch canals such as the Chenango Canal.

Packet boats were also popular along the James River and Kanawha Canal in Virginia, allowing travel beyond the falls upriver.

During the Civil War, the packet boat Marshall was used in 1863 to carry the body of Confederate General Stonewall Jackson from Lynchburg to his home in Lexington, Virginia for burial.

Translation of "Packet boat"

Romanian: Pachebot.