{"id":204673,"date":"2026-05-28T18:07:09","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T18:07:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/204673\/"},"modified":"2026-05-28T18:07:09","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T18:07:09","slug":"philly-was-the-origin-for-the-first-american-steamboat-carrying-passengers-and-cargo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/204673\/","title":{"rendered":"Philly was the origin for the first American steamboat carrying passengers and cargo"},"content":{"rendered":"

Love Philly? So do we. Let\u2019s be friends. Sign up for the Billy Penn newsletter today<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Lots of history has set sail from Philly \u2013 including America\u2019s first steamboat that transported passengers and freight.\u00a0<\/p>\n

John Fitch created the first functioning American steamboat.<\/a> His first invention, a 45-foot steam-powered boat, was launched on the Delaware River in August of 1787. Following its success, Fitch created a larger boat<\/a> that carried passengers and freight for several months in the summer of 1790.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cSteam, especially as early as this, is a rare thing,\u201d said Mike Madea, director of education at the Independence Seaport Museum. \u201cSo, it\u2019s a competitive market, and it\u2019s really lively. The patent office has just become a thing. Steam is about to burst onto the scene as a really viable means of transit, freight and shipping. So, to have something like this celebrated in Philadelphia is a really cool thing.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"The earliest model of of John Fitch\u2019s steamboat on the Delaware River in Philadelphia (Photo courtesy of Library of Congress, Washington D.C.)<\/p>\n

The passenger boat, referred to as \u201cthe Experiment,\u201d transported up to thirty paid passengers at a time <\/a>between Philadelphia and Burlington, New Jersey, on Sundays throughout the summer.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing able to take a steam-powered vessel to someplace like Burlington, New Jersey, and get a little bit of recovery from the city, even in [the late 1780s] is a big treat too,\u201d Madea said. \u201cSo it was a cool opportunity to combine that very deep mercantile aspect of Philadelphia with the kind of tourism aspect as well.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Despite this initial success, Fitch faced challenges in making the business a lasting enterprise. Fitch had issues securing a patent<\/a> and struggled with the high costs of construction and operation<\/a> of steamboats. After years of continuing to try and build, he eventually left the United States, to try his luck in Europe.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Fitch eventually took his own life<\/a>, due to his lack of recognition.<\/p>\n

Fitch\u2019s perseverance and persistence to his craft is what inspired this week\u2019s Firstival<\/a> artist Gwenn Seemel.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s just say John Fitch had a lot of adventures and a lot of adversity, and he kept at it and kept at it, and this was one of his many projects,\u201d Seemel said. \u201cI think his story is one that many of us can relate to, maybe not setbacks on the level that he had, but we all feel stuck sometimes.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Honoring Fitch\u2019s legacy\u00a0<\/p>\n

The legacy of the American steamboat ultimately pushed on with American inventor Robert Fulton<\/a>, who commercialized the steamboat in 1807. Due to this, many say Fitch does not always get the credit he deserves for creating the actual invention.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This week\u2019s firstival celebration<\/a> aims to give Fitch that credit, and to do so through a family-friendly celebration.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have our historic ship, Olympia, where you\u2019ll be able to take steam engine tours and learn a little bit more about how that vessel was powered by steam, we\u2019ll have some demos in our seaport boat shop, and we\u2019ll have some other activities running for a family-friendly afternoon and day,\u201d Madea said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In addition, those in attendance can view Seemel\u2019s sculpture, which pays homage to Fitch, his invention, and the summer of 1790. She showcased her sculpture at a firstival preview event.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is the original patent design illustration that Fitch submitted to the patent office,\u201d Seemel said. \u201dOn the side, you have the city of Philadelphia, back in the 1700s. And you have some ships with sails, which is mostly what was on the river at the time, and then you have the steamboat with the steam coming out of the big pipe.\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This week\u2019s firstival will take place on Saturday, May 30, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Independence Seaport Museum at 211 S. Christopher Columbus Boulevard.\u00a0<\/p>\n

And here is your full guide to all of this year\u2019s firstivals \u2013 including where you can find this upcoming Saturday\u2019s Firstival dates and location.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Completed<\/p>\n

Week 1: \u00a0Successful balloon flight in America (1793)<\/a><\/p>\n

Week 2: The Mummers parade, the nation\u2019s first folk parade (1901)<\/a><\/p>\n

Week 3: Volunteer fire company (1736)<\/a><\/p>\n

Week 4: Professional basketball league (1898)<\/a><\/p>\n

Week 5: Public Girl Scout cookie sale (1932)<\/a><\/p>\n

Week 6: African Methodist Episcopal congregation (1794)<\/a><\/p>\n

Week 7: Abolitionist society in America<\/a> (1775)<\/p>\n

Week 8: Authentic Chinese gate built in America<\/a> (1984)<\/p>\n

Week 9: Public protest against slavery in America<\/a> (1688)<\/p>\n

Week 10: Flower Show<\/a> (1829)<\/p>\n

Week 11: Women\u2019s medical college<\/a> (1850)<\/p>\n

Week 12: Matchbook<\/a> (1892)<\/p>\n

Week 13: Medical school <\/a>(1765)<\/p>\n

Week 14: Stadium <\/a>(1895)<\/p>\n

Week 15: Circus performance <\/a>(1793)\u00a0<\/p>\n

Week 16: Botanical garden<\/a> (1728)<\/p>\n

Week 17: Postmaster<\/a> (1737)<\/p>\n

Week 18: American-made piano and sousaphone <\/a>(1775 and 1893)\u00a0<\/p>\n

Week 19: Mother\u2019s Day<\/a> (1908)\u00a0<\/p>\n

Week 20: Hospital in America <\/a>(1751)<\/p>\n

Week 21: World\u2019s Fair on American soil<\/a> (1876)\u00a0<\/p>\n

Upcoming<\/p>\n

\u2022 Steamboat for passengers and freight (1787)
May 30, Independence Seaport Museum, 211 S. Christopher Columbus Blvd.<\/p>\n

\u2022 American flag (1777)
June 6, Betsy Ross House, 239 Arch St.<\/p>\n

\u2022 U.S. Army (1775)
June 13, Museum of the American Revolution, 101 S. 3rd St.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Annual Reminder demonstration (1965)
June 20, Philly Pride Visitor Center, Lombard St. and S. 12th St.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Paper maker in America (1690)
June 27, Rittenhouse Town, 6034 Wissahickon Ave.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Bank of the United States (1791)
July 4, First Bank of the United States, 120 S. 3rd St.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Organized baseball team (1831)
July 11 (location TBD)<\/p>\n

\u2022 Ice cream soda (Oct. 1874)
July 18, Franklin Fountain, 116 Market St.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2022 American art school (1805)
July 25, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, 118-128 N. Broad St.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Scientific Society of Natural History (1812)
Aug. 1, at Academy of Natural Sciences, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway<\/p>\n

\u2022 Zoo in America (1874)
Aug. 8, Philadelphia Zoo, 3400 W. Girard Ave.<\/p>\n

\u2022 U.S. Mint (1793)
Aug. 15 (location TBD)<\/p>\n

\u2022 Selfie (1839)
Aug. 22, Love Park, 1501 John F Kennedy Blvd.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Slinky (1943)
Aug. 29, Philadelphia Art Museum, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway<\/p>\n

\u2022 Signing of the Constitution (1787)
Sept. 5, National Constitution Center, 525 Arch St.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Continental Congress (1774)
Sept. 12 at Carpenters\u2019 Hall, 320 Chestnut St.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Naming of the United States (1776)
Sept. 19, Independence Hall<\/p>\n

\u2022 Ronald McDonald House (1974)
Sept. 26, Ronald McDonald House, 3925 Chestnut St.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Penitentiary in America (1829)
Oct. 3, Eastern State Penitentiary, 2027 Fairmount Ave.<\/p>\n

\u2022 The First Peoples
Oct. 10, Penn Museum, 3260 South St.<\/p>\n

\u2022 U.S. Navy and Marine Corps (1775)
Oct. 17, Arch Street Meeting House, 320 Arch St.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Public showing of a motion picture (1870)
Oct. 24, Philadelphia Film Society, 1412 Chestnut St.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Modern detective story written (1841)
Oct. 31, Edgar Allan Poe House, 532 N. 7th St.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Thanksgiving Day parade in America (1920)
Nov. 7, Benjamin Franklin Parkway<\/p>\n

\u2022 University in America (1740)
Nov. 14, Houston Hall, The University of Pennsylvania, 3417 Spruce St.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Children\u2019s hospital in America (1855)
Nov. 21, Children\u2019s Hospital of Philadelphia, Main Building, 3401 Civic Center Blvd.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Pencil with an attached eraser (1858)
Nov. 28, National Liberty Museum, 321 Chestnut St.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Weather bureau (1870)
Dec. 5, The Franklin Institute, 222 N. 20th St.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Electronic computer (1945)
Dec. 12, The University of Pennsylvania, 3451 Walnut St.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Public lending library in America (1731)
Dec. 19, The Library Company of Philadelphia, 1314 Locust St.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Philly food firsts: Cheesesteaks (1930s), water ice (1932) and bubble gum (1928)
Dec. 26, Reading Terminal Market, 1136 Arch St.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Love Philly? So do we. Let\u2019s be friends. Sign up for the Billy Penn newsletter today. Lots of…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":204674,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[4000,60,70758,94,56811,69,71,70,90212,2155],"class_list":["post-204673","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-philadelphia","tag-america-250","tag-business","tag-firstivals","tag-history","tag-independence-seaport-museum","tag-philadelphia","tag-philadelphia-headlines","tag-philadelphia-news","tag-steamboats","tag-transportation"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/204673","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=204673"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/204673\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/204674"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=204673"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=204673"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=204673"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}