Today marks the birth in 1765 of one of the nation’s major inventors — Robert Fulton — who built the first steamboat in the U.S., which in 1807 went 150 miles from Albany to New York City, ushering in a new motive power to young America. The impact of the trip was not immediately clear, and some critics even called the effort “Fulton’s Folly.” But steamboats became the dominant form of power for America’s merchant marine. Now, steam and diesel powered ships generate receipts of just under $35 billion annually, moving cargo and passengers on deep-sea, coastal, and Great Lakes waterways, as well as those on inland waters. You can find more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at <www.census.gov>.
One Comment
Comments are closed.
Vance County Schools–what up? Hopefully we’ll hear more about embezzlement charges at Northern Vance that began in 2009.
Who was minding the store comes to mind.