Successful public demonstration on the Potomac
- When
- December 3, 1787
- Where
- Potomac River at Shepherdstown, present-day West Virginia
Rumsey's steam-driven water-jet boat made a very successful public demonstration on the Potomac at Shepherdstown before local notables including Horatio Gates.
On December 3, 1787, after years of construction and testing, Rumsey's boat made a very successful public demonstration on the Potomac River at Shepherdstown in present-day West Virginia. The vessel was propelled by a steam-powered pump that ejected a stream of water from the stern. The crowd included local notables such as Horatio Gates. Rumsey documented the successful trial in A Plan Wherein the Power of Steam is Fully Shewn, dated January 2, 1788.
Sources
- James Rumsey Wikipedia, revision of 2025-12-17
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