All Aboard
, ferry boats took people and goods across the river. You could sail to Al exandria from Greenleaf’s Point (now Fort McNair),or between the points where today’s th Street Bridge touches ground. Sailing vessels, and later steamships, came here f rom Norfolk, Virginia (and points south) and Baltimore,Maryland (and points north).Washing- tonians wanted international trade, but unfortu- nately,Baltimore and Norfolk had deeper harbors for larger vessels.Baltimore and Norfolk became thriving ports as the s u nf o l ded . Wa s h i n g t on fell behind,focusing more on regional trade. Regular steamboat service began on the Potomac in between Washingtonand Aquia Creek, where the Po tomac bends near Fredericksburg, Virginia.There passengers disembarked and rode overland to Richmond and points south.Railroads were built throughout the area in the s, but political wrangling blocked the construction of a rail line to the south from Washington.Voyagers continued to travel by steamboat to Aquia Creek and then to the new southern railroads.Finally, a round , a railroad was built connecting Washingtonto Richmond. Yet passengers contin- ued to book the overnight steamers.The last one sailed in , nearly a century after it was no longer essential for southern travel. Washingtonians have long enjoyed cruises to amuse- ment parks along the Potomac. Lewis Jefferson, Sr. ( ‒ ),Washington’s first African American millionaire, ran the Independent Steam Boat and Ba r geCompany around . Jefferson’s vessels s a i l e d te n m iles sou t h to Wa s h i n g t on Pa r k , h i s amusem ent park for Af rican Americans. The busi- nessman, banker, contractor, ship builder, and real estate developer inve s ted heavi ly in Southwest. An admired community leader,he lived in a gra- cious brick mansion at First Street.
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