Rigged Model, Sidewheel Cotton Packet <I>J.M. White</I>
date: label: Date made
content: 1974
label: built
content: 1878
label: used date
content: late 19th century
notes: label: Description
content: The Mississippi River sidewheel steamboat <I>J.M. White</I> was built at Jeffersonville, Ind., in 1878 for the Greenville and New Orleans Packet Company. Measuring 321’ long and 91’ in beam across the paddlebox guards, the <I>White</I> only sat 10’-6” deep in the water when fully laden. The steamboat was designed for Mississippi River packet service between New Orleans, La., and Greenville, Miss.
label: Description
content: The <I>White</I> was one of the largest, most expensive, luxurious, and most powerful river steamers ever built, with 2,800 horsepower and a capacity of 250 first-class passengers and 10,000 bales of cotton. Named after famous riverboat captain J. M. White (1823–1880), the “supreme triumph in cotton boat architecture” was a masterpiece of the gaudy, glamorous style known as “steamboat Gothic.” It had multiple bridal chambers; stained glass skylights and windows; rare wood veneers and gilded finishes; seven gilded “Egyptian-style” chandeliers; a sterling silver Tiffany water cooler in the 250’-long main cabin; monogrammed flatware and china; and a full concert grand piano.
label: Description
content: The <I>White</I> spent most of its eight-year career in service on the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Vicksburg, Miss. Despite its economy of size, the <I>White’</I>s high initial $220,000 cost, a spotty economy, and the rapidly expanding railroad network made the steamboat unprofitable. It caught fire, blew up, and burned to the waterline at a Louisiana landing in December 1886, killing several aboard.
place: label: worked
content: United States: Louisiana, New Orleans
label: Associated Place
content: United States: Mississippi River
label: worked
content: United States: Mississippi, Greenville
topic: label: related event
content: The Development of the Industrial United States
setName: label: See more items in
content: Work and Industry: Maritime
label: See more items in
content: Work
label: See more items in
content: Energy & Power
label: See more items in
content: Industry & Manufacturing
label: See more items in
content: Transportation
label: See more items in
content: On the Water exhibit
label: See more items in
content: Art
label: Exhibition
content: On the Water
label: Exhibition Location
content: National Museum of American History
publisher: label: Related Publication
content: National Museum of American History. On the Water exhibition website
label: Related Web Publication
content: http://americanhistory.si.edu/onthewater
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of John H. Leslie
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: TR.334847
label: catalog number
content: 334847
label: accession number
content: 315419
objectType: label: Object Name
content: model, river boat
label: Other Terms
content: Boat, River; river boat model; Maritime
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: wood (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 38 in x 88 in x 23 in; 96.52 cm x 223.52 cm x 58.42 cm