Victoria in Victoria County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Steamboating and the Guadalupe River

1850

— Victoria Trail Through Time —

Steamboating and the Guadalupe River Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By James Hulse, February 21, 2022

1. Steamboating and the Guadalupe River Marker

Inscription.

Steamboating and the Guadalupe River. From the beginning of human habitation, the Guadalupe River from Victoria to the coast was used by various watercraft.. , Despite being declared "un-navigable" due to log jams and debris, there is evidence that steamboats had made the trip as far back as the Mexican War. The first regular steamboat operation was by the Ward brothers, Iso and William. By the mid-1850s, they had completed more than 30 trips aboard a steamboat named "Kate Ward." A round trip from Victoria to Pass Cavallo took two days and nights. The Kate Ward could carry 40 tons and at "two-bits per hundredweight," it was a "good deal" for everyone. , Another steamboat to cover this route was the "William Penn." Owned by Captain J.O. Wheeler, an early Victorian but native of Vermont, this enterprising New Englander had brought the first steamboat to Houston. The William Penn had about twice the capacity as the Kate Ward and made its maiden trip in 1850., Other steamboats operating on the river were the Texas, the Tennessee, the Frog, the Victoria, the Lizzie Lake and the Fritz Berner. , The cattle trade between Texas and both New Orleans and Havana, Cuba was quite active in the pre-Civil War days. The watercolor by Tom Jones shows a common method of shipping beef before refrigeration. Larger businesses than live cattle were the transport of "bales of hides" and "barrels of tallow" to larger markets. , Spanish explorers had pronounced the Guadalupe River as unnavigable in 1727. Jammed by logs and debris brought by frequent floods, the Guadalupe was only used intermittently, and after log jams had been cleared. Weary from the costs and labor involved in clearing the river, Victorians built their own river to the bay - the 35 mile long Victoria Barge Canal, which was completed and opened for barge traffic in the mid 1960s. , Captions Lower Right: "Steamboating on the Guadalupe" Original illustration by Tom Jones Upper Right: U.S. Dredge Guadalupe River ca. 1912, Victoria Regional History Center, Victoria College/University of Houston-Victoria Library

From the beginning of human
habitation, the Guadalupe River
from Victoria to the coast was
used by various watercraft.

Despite being declared "un-navigable" due to log jams and debris, there is evidence that steamboats had made the trip as far back as the Mexican War. The first regular steamboat operation was by the Ward brothers, Iso and William. By the mid-1850s, they had completed more than 30 trips aboard a steamboat named "Kate Ward." A round trip from Victoria to Pass Cavallo took two days and nights. The Kate Ward could carry 40 tons and at "two-bits per hundredweight," it was a "good deal" for everyone.

Another steamboat to cover this route was the "William Penn." Owned by Captain J.O. Wheeler, an early Victorian but native of Vermont, this enterprising New Englander had brought the first steamboat to Houston. The William Penn had about twice the capacity as the Kate Ward and made its maiden trip in 1850.

Other steamboats operating on the river were the Texas, the Tennessee, the Frog, the Victoria, the Lizzie Lake and the Fritz Berner.

The cattle trade between Texas and both New Orleans and Havana, Cuba was quite active in the pre-Civil War days. The watercolor by Tom Jones shows a common method of shipping beef before refrigeration. Larger businesses

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than live cattle were the transport of "bales of hides" and "barrels of tallow" to larger markets.

Spanish explorers had pronounced the Guadalupe River as unnavigable in 1727. Jammed by logs and debris brought by frequent floods, the Guadalupe was only used intermittently, and after log jams had been cleared. Weary from the costs and labor involved in clearing the river, Victorians built their own river to the bay - the 35 mile long Victoria Barge Canal, which was completed and opened for barge traffic in the mid 1960s.

Captions
Lower Right: "Steamboating on the Guadalupe"
Original illustration by Tom Jones
Upper Right: U.S. Dredge Guadalupe River ca. 1912

Victoria Regional History Center, Victoria College/University of Houston-Victoria Library

Erected by City of Victoria.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1850.

Location. 28° 49.283′ N, 97° 1.072′ W. Marker is in Victoria, Texas, in Victoria County. Marker is on McCright Drive, 0.8 miles west of North Vines Street, on the right when traveling west. The marker is located at a small parking lot near the Guadalupe

Photographed By James Hulse, February 21, 2022

2. Steamboating and the Guadalupe River Marker

river. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Victoria TX 77901, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Old La Bahia Road (approx. ¼ mile away); Victoria (approx. ¼ mile away); Tonkawa Bank (approx. 0.3 miles away); a different marker also named Tonkawa Bank (approx. 0.3 miles away); Presidio La Bahia and Mission Espíritu Santo (approx. 0.4 miles away); Friedrich & Margaretha Hiller House (approx. half a mile away); Margaret Wright "The Mother of Texas" (approx. 0.6 miles away); Robert S. Weisiger (approx. 0.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Victoria.

The view of the Steamboating and the Guadalupe River Marker from the parking lot image. Click for full size.

Photographed By James Hulse, February 21, 2022

3. The view of the Steamboating and the Guadalupe River Marker from the parking lot

The view of the Guadalupe River from behind the marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By James Hulse, February 21, 2022

4. The view of the Guadalupe River from behind the marker

Credits. This page was last revised on February 26, 2022. It was originally submitted on February 26, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 156 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on February 26, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.