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Treasures of the Steamboat Arabia
With her twin stacks belching smoke and ash, the big, side - wheeled steamboat Arabia churned her way upriver past Kansas City, Missouri, loaded with winter supplies. Her passengers had just settled down for dinner, when the steamer's hull was suddenly ripped open by a large, sunken tree hidden from sight beneath the river's. As water poured into the gaping hole, over 100 passenger scrambled to safety leaving behind most of their personal belongings and over 200 tons of precious, frontier cargo. Gathered on the riverbank, the travelers watched helplessly as the boat and her cargo disappeared quickly and silently beneath the cold, dark Missouri river. Soon all was lost from sight.
This book reveals the legend of the treasures of the sunken Arabia. It's the only book of primarily large photographs and stories of the Arabia's incredible discovery. Within these pages you will meet the men and women who uncovered the steamer and her 200 tons of treasure. You can read about battling the cold winter weather and how they overcame the relentless underground river that daily threatened to flood the dig site and bring an early end to the project. You will see pictures of the recovered artifacts at the moment of discovery as well as images in the museum with artifacts cleaned and on display. Included are many of the same large-scale photographs feature throughout the Arabia Steamboat Museum. Treasures of the Steamboat Arabia makes an ideal gift idea for yourself or a way to share this amazing discovery with someone you know.
This book reveals the legend of the treasures of the sunken Arabia. It's the only book of primarily large photographs and stories of the Arabia's incredible discovery. Within these pages you will meet the men and women who uncovered the steamer and her 200 tons of treasure. You can read about battling the cold winter weather and how they overcame the relentless underground river that daily threatened to flood the dig site and bring an early end to the project. You will see pictures of the recovered artifacts at the moment of discovery as well as images in the museum with artifacts cleaned and on display. Included are many of the same large-scale photographs feature throughout the Arabia Steamboat Museum. Treasures of the Steamboat Arabia makes an ideal gift idea for yourself or a way to share this amazing discovery with someone you know.
60 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1995
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Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review
May 28, 2019
For the celebration of our anniversary my husband and I visited the museum so when I saw that they had a nice book dedicated to the treasures I was definitely intrigued with getting a copy in my hands. I had been hoping since my visit for a book that included a bunch of the information that the museum has posted on the retrieval since it seems to be a rush if you are with anyone and you don't ever seem to get a chance to read all the information.
Although this book wasn't a totally read-for-read post it was very close and I fell in love with it as it actually moved further than the museum exhibits at time. The book is awkwardly big but detailed in all its presentation so you get to learn about her history such as where she was made, the differences in the steamboats - back paddle and side, her general history before being captained on the Missouri, her run of bad luck including being caught by a MO mob who found her sneakily carrying contraband guns to the Jayhawks.
And then there is the information that everyone knows followed by the story unfolding in her re-discovery. The writing is given nice and clean while easy to understand with other inserts used to clarify for the reader extra information if they are interested.
The book itself is a giant collection of a picture book with the story tucked into it while each caption is a small paragraph that gives the reader more information while smoothly passing the reader along. As a result you get to learn more about the treasures, the people included in the pages, the set-up and so much more.
But what was the real seller for me was the pictures. You see the treasures in real life while it is overwhelming with the amount of stuff that went down with the ship but this is real life. To see the white and gold of a dish shining from the sticky mud, to see the lights lighting up the site at night, to see the children with their parents as they work in excavating and how the treasures were slowly brought back. It is amazing in its own way, especially when you hear the story of Frozen Charlotte was found as well as where.
For those who are interested in the Arabia, "Treasures In A Cornfield" is a more detailed find in what it took to bring the steamer up but this book is the one that will make you feel as if you are there as each page flip reveals even more treasures.
Although this book wasn't a totally read-for-read post it was very close and I fell in love with it as it actually moved further than the museum exhibits at time. The book is awkwardly big but detailed in all its presentation so you get to learn about her history such as where she was made, the differences in the steamboats - back paddle and side, her general history before being captained on the Missouri, her run of bad luck including being caught by a MO mob who found her sneakily carrying contraband guns to the Jayhawks.
And then there is the information that everyone knows followed by the story unfolding in her re-discovery. The writing is given nice and clean while easy to understand with other inserts used to clarify for the reader extra information if they are interested.
The book itself is a giant collection of a picture book with the story tucked into it while each caption is a small paragraph that gives the reader more information while smoothly passing the reader along. As a result you get to learn more about the treasures, the people included in the pages, the set-up and so much more.
But what was the real seller for me was the pictures. You see the treasures in real life while it is overwhelming with the amount of stuff that went down with the ship but this is real life. To see the white and gold of a dish shining from the sticky mud, to see the lights lighting up the site at night, to see the children with their parents as they work in excavating and how the treasures were slowly brought back. It is amazing in its own way, especially when you hear the story of Frozen Charlotte was found as well as where.
For those who are interested in the Arabia, "Treasures In A Cornfield" is a more detailed find in what it took to bring the steamer up but this book is the one that will make you feel as if you are there as each page flip reveals even more treasures.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review