Year

First Boat

No. of Arrivals

River Closed

1844

April 6

41

Nov. 23

1845

April 6

48

Nov. 26

1846

March 31

24

Dec. 5

1847

April 7

47

Nov. 29

1848

April 7

63

Dec. 4

1849

April 9

85

Dec. 7

1850

April 9

104

Dec. 4

1851

April 4

119

Nov. 28

1852

April 16

171

Nov. 18

1853

April 11

200

Nov. 30

1854

April 8

245

Nov. 27

1855

April 17

560

Nov. 20

1856

April 18

837

Nov. 10

“In 1851, three boats went up the Minnesota River, and in 1852, one boat ran regularly up that stream during the season.  In 1853, the business required an average of one boat per day.  In 1854, the business had largely increased, and in 1855, the arrivals of steamers from the Minnesota, amounted to 119.

“The present season, on the Mississippi, has been a very prosperous one, and the arrivals at St. Paul exhibit a gratifying increase over any preceding year, notwithstanding the season of navigation has been two weeks shorter than last season.  Owing to the unusually early gorge in the river at Hastings, upwards of fifty steamers bound for this port, and heavily laden with merchandise and produce, were compelled to discharge their cargoes at Hastings and Stillwater.

“Navigation this season opened on the 18th of April.  The Lady Franklin arrived on the evening of that day from Galena.  Previous to her arrival, there had been eighteen arrivals at our landing from the head of Lake Pepin, and twelve arrivals at the foot of the lake, from Galena and Dubuque.

“During the present season, seventy-eight different steamers have arrived at our wharf, from the points mentioned in the following table.  This table we draw mainly from the books of the City Marshal, and by reference to our files.

Fromst. Louis.

Boats

No. of Trips.

Ben Coursin

19

A. G. Mason

  8

Metropolitan

 13

Audubon

  5

Golden State

  8

Laclede

 11

Luella

  8

Cheviot

  1

James Lyon

  7

Vienna

  5

New York

  1

Delegate

  1

Mansfield

  7

Forest Rose

  1