The steamboat played a significant role in the commerce and transportation of people and goods on the Mississippi River from the early 1800s to the late 1800s. The steamboat was invented by Robert Fulton in 1807, and in 1811, the New Orleans, the first steamboat to navigate the Mississippi River, docked in Natchez for the first time. The steamboat allowed for faster and more efficient transportation, and it contributed to the growth of Natchez's economy, which was primarily based on cotton and slavery.
In 1870, the famous steamboat race between Robert E. Lee and Natchez took place, with the Robert E. Lee completing the race in a record time of 3 days, 18 hours, and 14 minutes. In 1909, President William Howard Taft embarked on a steamboat trip down the Mississippi River to promote the merits of steamboat travel and investigate proposals to straighten and dredge the river. However, by 1900, the railroad had replaced the steamboat as the primary mode of transportation in cities along the river, and the Mississippi Steamboat Era ended.