Bainbridge in Decatur County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)
Steamboats
Photographed by David Seibert, May 16, 2012
1. Steamboats Marker, Side 1
In 1827 the Fanny was the first of more than 220 steamboats to visit Bainbridge and ply the waters of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river system. These boats docked at the city's landings below the high bluff on the Flint River. Boatyards on both sides of the river built craft for individuals and the U.S. Government. Several steamboat lines operated here including the Oak City Navigation Co. (later known as the Bainbridge Navigation Co.), which was organized in 1901 and the Callahan Line, which was formed in 1906. The last working steamboat on the Flint River was the Elberta, which went out of service in the late 1930s.
Between Columbus, Georgia and Apalachicola, Florida many steamboat landings dotted the riverbanks. Smaller boats navigated Spring Creek, the Chipola River and the Flint River to Newton and Albany. In addition to passengers, the boats hauled cotton, rosin, turpentine, fertilizer, lumber, oysters, catfish, honey, brick and shingles. The river system was one of the most dangerous in the United States and many boats met misfortune by hitting rocks, snags and ferry cables. Other boats ran aground on sandbars or sank due to boiler explosions. It is said that there are more sunken boats per mile on this river system than any other system in the country.
Erected
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1827.
Location. 30° 54.39′ N, 84° 34.934′ W. Marker has been damaged. Marker is in Bainbridge, Georgia, in Decatur County. It is on West Water Street west of South Bruton Street, on the right when traveling west. The marker stands by the Flint River in Cheney Griffin Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Bainbridge GA 39817, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Georgia’s Coastal Plain. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Deep South. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location: Bainbridge Beginnings (approx. 0.2 miles away); Stepping Back in Time (approx. 0.2 miles away); The First Seminole War in Decatur County (approx. 0.2 miles away); General Andrew Jackson Trail (approx. 0.2 miles away); Historic Fort Hughes (approx. 0.2 miles away); Decatur County During the Creek and Seminole Wars Era (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Battle of Fowltown (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Second Creek War and Removal in the Decatur County Area (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Bainbridge.
Also see . . . Reward set for Bainbridge historical marker vandalism arrest. Police reported that this past weekend a car hit the sign and broke
Photographed by David Seibert, May 16, 2012
2. Steamboats Marker, Side 2
Photographed by David Seibert, May 16, 2012
3. Steamboats Marker, Side 1
Photographed by David Seibert, May 16, 2012
4. Steamboats Marker, Side 2
Photographed by David Seibert, May 16, 2012
5. Steamboats Marker
The Flint River and a railroad bridge are in the background.
Photographed by GeorgiaInfo (Galileo)
6. Steamboat "John W. Callahan" on the Flint River at Bainbridge, Georgia
Credits. This page was last revised on October 16, 2024. It was originally submitted on June 5, 2012, by David Seibert of Sandy Springs, Georgia. This page has been viewed 1,705 times since then and 63 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on June 5, 2012, by David Seibert of Sandy Springs, Georgia. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.
