The Spread of Cholera Throughout North America in 1832 via Inland Waterways

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Shipwrecks and the Public: Getting People Engaged with their Maritime History" session, at the 2019 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

Steamboats and other watercraft were largely responsible for the rapid spread of cholera throughout North America in 1832 via inland waterways. The recent archaeological excavation of Phoenix II in Lake Champlain led to the rediscovery of the steamer’s role in this tragic historic event, and prompted further research to understand the maritime connection to the 1832 cholera epidemic. After arriving in Quebec City on June 4, 1832 from Europe, the cholera bacteria traveled along the St. Lawrence River to Montreal, where it dispersed in two directions: one south along Lake Champlain and the Hudson River to New York City, and the other west towards the Great Lakes and Western Rivers. This presentation will discuss the routes that the cholera bacteria followed throughout the continent, including the specific ships and boats that were linked historically to outbreaks in port towns.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2019   •
• Shipwrecks and the Public: Getting People Engaged with their Maritime History

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 389