The Mississippi era is among the most colorful and romantic in our history. This extraordinary book of recently discovered photos shows what it was really like. For the first time we are presented with a stunning array of period photos of steamboat life as it really was – from its glory days in the post-Civil War era to its demise in the years after WWI. Images include: stately ships, luxurious interiors, shipboard life, picturesque river towns, busy landings, disasters, and more. Together with an informative text filled with detailed information and amusing anecdotes, these photos are a compelling account of the major steamboats and their social and economic role in river life. This stunning firsthand account of a long-list (but now accurately recaptured) way of American life will provide endless hours of enjoyable reading.