Steamboats, with their capability to travel against the current, revolutionized river transportation and opened grand economic and social doors for Henderson. They lowered transportation costs, carried enormous loads of cargo, provided comfortable passage and, by the 1840's, brought regular mail service to Henderson. Steamboats reached their high-water mark of luxury in the 1850's. Sporting fancy parlors, elaborate menus, engraved stationary and musical entertainment, steamboats symbolized far more than a ride on the river. Above all, steamboats allowed goods and people to travel with relative ease to points along the Ohio River, creating an economic catalyst and bringing an element of sophistication to Henderson and other major ports on the river.
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