DID YOU KNOW IN THE EARLY DAYS YOU COULD HOP ON A STEAMER SIDE PADDLER IN SAN FRANCISCO AND VISIT LAS VEGAS VALLEY! .... FROM S.F. SOUTHBOUND ON THE PACIFIC OCEAN AROUND THE HORN AT CABO SAN LUCAS, BAJA CALIFORNIA UP THE SEA OF CORTEZ TO YUMA ARIZONA.
CHANGE BOATS TO A SMALLER STEAMER FLAT BOTTOM REAR PADDLE WHEELER BOAT AND GO UP THE COLORDAO RIVER TO ELDORADO CANYON (nelson landing). ALOT OF GREAT HISTORY WAS MADE ON THE COLORADE RIVER. THE STEAMBOATS HAULED ALL OF THE MINERS SUPPLIES NORTH FROM YUMA ... AND WOULD TAKE OUT SILVER ORE BACK DOWN THE RIVER FOR SMELTING. FORGOTTEN WORKHORSE SHIPS ON THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER WERE ... THE MOHAVE & MOHAVE II ... THE GILA ... THE COCOPAH ...THE YUMA ... THE ST. VALLIER ... THE AZTEC ... THE COLORADO II ... THE GENERAL JESSUP ... AND THE LAST BOAT TO SERVICE THE COLORADO WAS THE SEARCHLIGHT AROUND 1932 ... IT GOT STUCK ON A SAND BAR AND WAS NEVER FOUND AGAIN AFTER MANY FLOODS. THE RAILROADS COMPETED FOR THE FREIGHT TRADE AND BUILT OVERHEAD TRESSLES ACROSS THE RIVER AND CUTOFF SECTIONS SO SHIPS COULD NOT PASS UNDER THEM. THEY WOULD HAVE TO UNLOAD AND TRANSFER MATERIALS TO ANOTHER SHIP. IF YOU FIND AN OLD IVORY RIVERBOAT CHIP I'LL TAKE IT! I WONDER IF ANYONE PLAYED CARDS ON BOARD ... THEY ONLY HAD ROOM FOR A HANDFUL OF PASSENGERS.

VISIT THE COLORADO RIVER MUSEUM IN BULLHEAD CITY, NEXT TIME YOU ARE IN THE LAUGHLIN AREA. THANKS FOR VIEWING THIS POST ... YOUR COMMENTS AND PHOTOS ARE WELCOMED .... RICH BURGEL