
The first steamboat to sail on the Missouri River departed port in St. Louis on this date bound for what is now Omaha, Nebraska. The boat had been built specifically to carry an expedition led by Major Stephen Harriman Long upriver to the mouth of the Yellowstone River, in order to establish a fort there.
The paddlewheel steamboat Western Engineer, also known as Long’s Dragon, was a uniquely designed vessel. One of its most distinctive features was its dragon-like figurehead, which included a smoke-belching pipe that added to its mythical appearance. Its engineers believed that the serpent-like appearance might deter attacks from tribes living in the plains region it would travel through. The boat was relatively small, measuring 75 feet in length and 13 feet in width, making it nimble and suitable for navigating the shallow and unpredictable waters of the Missouri. The Western Engineer was also notable for its use of a stern paddlewheel, a design choice that provided better propulsion and maneuverability compared to side-wheel steamboats. Additionally, the vessel was equipped with a steam-powered sawmill and blacksmith shop, enabling the crew to make repairs and construct necessary infrastructure during their journey.
The expedition reached Fort Lisa near Omaha, Nebraska in September of 1819, after contending with a strong current, log jams, sand bars, and sand from the river water clogging the ship’s boilers. The expedition would ultimately spend a particularly brutal winter at this location before giving up on the plan altogether. Major Long would ultimately set out on foot following the Platte River to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains on a separate expedition, and Western Engineer sailed back downstream to St. Louis before embarking on a mapping voyage on the Mississippi River.