Steamboats on the Red
Looking at the shallow twists and turns of the Red River, it’s hard to imagine that steam powered paddlewheel boats were once the most important transportation link between St. Paul and Winnipeg. From the first in 1859 to the last that sank in 1909, Red River steamboats hauled thousands of settlers and millions of pounds of freight across the border. Although it lasted barely 50 years, the age of the steamboat forged a commercial network between the United States and Canada that exists to this day in the I29 corridor. To shine a spotlight on this important piece of prairie history, Steamboats on the Red examines the history of steamboat transportation on the Red River and the impact this important trade route had on the development of the region.
Broadcast premiere November 8, 2011
online for $24.95 or order by calling 1-800-359-6900
Funding for online video streaming is provided by the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
About the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund
In 2008, Minnesota voters passed a landmark piece of legislation — the Minnesota Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Amendment — which provided funding to public television stations serving audiences in Minnesota. Its mission is to help preserve and document the treasures of culture, history, and heritage that make Minnesota special, and to increase access to the natural and cultural resources we all share.
Click here for more information.
Production Funding Provided By




Funded in part by the North Dakota Humanities Council, a nonprofit, independent state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in the website do not necessarily reflect those of the North Dakota Humanities Council or the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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