DESCRIPTION: Large antique cabinet card of the steamer Okeehumkee docked at the Silver Springs' Florida landing, moss-covered trees in the background. The Okeehumkee, also known as "Queen of the Ocklawaha River," was a 84' x 21'river steamboat that provided transportation along Florida rivers in the late 19th century. The Okeehumkee was equipped with a paddle wheel positioned in the lower stern part of the boat which allowed it to traverse narrow and shallow rivers.
The steamer Okeehumkee was built in 1873 by Hubbard Hart, founder of the Ocklawaha Navigation Company's Hart's Line, at his East Palatka Hart's Point shipyard. It was named after a Native American chief from the area of the Ocklawaha lakes. The boat was outfitted with shutters on the windows to keep tree branches out and a livestock pen at the rear of the boat, on the upper deck. The boat was altered several times throughout its service lifetime. In 1893, a second deck of cabins was added. In 1919, Hart's Line ceased operation and the Okeehumkee was moored at Hart's Point shipyard in East Palatka.
In 1883 Lady Duffus Hardy published a vivid account of her trip aboard the Okeehumkee on the Oklawaha River from Silver Springs, Florida to Palatka. Lady Hardy relates how pine logs were burned in a large cauldron at the top of the vessel to provide illumination at night. "Now the blue flame flashes up to the great tree tops, then darts downward like a fiery serpent, and up some winding water lane, and for a second, a thousand weird forms float before our eyes, and change and fade and melt into nothingness."
PUBLICATION DATE: 1895
GEOGRAPHIC AREA: United States
BODY OF WATER: Ocklawaha River
CONDITION: Good.
On very heavy card stock. No folds or major issues. Verso blank. Some light scratches and browning as shown.
COLORING: None
ENGRAVER:
SIZE: 8
" x
5 "
ITEM PHYSICAL LOCATION: 0
PRICE: $175
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