The Arabia Steamboat Museum in Kansas City, Missouri

Navigating the muddy waters in Missouri has never been an easy task; imagine how it must have been back in the early 1800's. Steamboat captains had a perilous journey as they guided their craft along the dark and murky waters. There were rocks, fallen timber and many other obstacles that lay in wait under the treacherous waters.

Built in Pennsylvania in 1853, the steamboat Arabia was 171 feet long, 29 feet wide, and had a weight capacity of 222 tons. With 28 feet tall twin paddle wheels, the steamboat could reach upstream speeds of 5 miles per hour. The steamboat was a wood burner and used over 30 cords of wood per day while traveling along the river.

The Arabia steamboat made several visits up and down the Ohio, Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. The boat carried cargo and passengers up and down the river to the many different towns. Prior to sinking the ship had made a total of fourteen visits between St. Louis, Missouri and other frontier towns between March and August of 1856. The steamboat hit a snag and sank beneath the waters of the Missouri River on August 30th, 1856, and there it lay hidden for more than 132 years.

On November 7th, 1988, the boat was carefully lifted out of a cornfield near Parkville, Missouri, with a 100-ton crane and now the remnants which have been painstakingly restored are on display at the Arabia Steamboat Museum in Kansas City, Missouri. At the museum, visitors will see an original 6 foot section of the boat, complete with watermarks and the remaining white paint.

The museum has a full-scale reproduction of the boats main deck which allows visitors to marvel at the sheer size of the steamboat. The Arabia's original boilers and large engine are also intact and part of the display. There is a replica 28 feet tall paddlewheel which turns into a pool of water and there is a skeleton of the mule, the only life that was lost when the steamboat sank.

There are also displays of the cargo that was recovered from the Arabia. Such items include the dishes, trunks, pictures and many everyday items as well. There are bottles that were recovered from the wreckage that include eye glasses, inkwells, medicines, bells, pie filling, catsup and pickles. Fabrics, buttons, needles, threads and various sewing supplies are also featured in an exhibit. All of the items recovered were bound for general stores and pioneer settlements, up and down the Missouri River.

During a visit to the museum, guests are invited to hear the tale of the Arabia from an informative tour guide. The bounty recovered from the Arabia wreckage has been likened to the findings of King Tut's tomb. The museum is a veritable source and wealth of information under one roof, giving visitors a feel for how frontier life was lived back in the 1800's.