“Early Shipwrecks in Southern Illinois” by Mark Wagner

Flatboats used for travel and hauling were the main boat type on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers from the 1770s to the late 1800s. None survived until 2000 when a flatboat was discovered eroding out of the Ohio River bank in southern Illinois. Wagner will discuss the discovery and mapping of this boat and why it wrecked. He also will discuss the history of river travel and the dangers faced by early river travelers. The presentation will be held at the History Museum of Monroe County in the Allscheid-Metzger Gallery located at 724 Elaine Drive, Waterloo, IL.