When The Original Hiawatha Ran To Sylvan Dell

The Hiawatha Paddleboat that we can ride today is modeled after, and named for, a steamer that traveled this section of the Susquehanna more than 100 years earlier.  

Market Street Bridge, showing the trolley, and the Hiawatha docked under he bridge. 

[it appears smaller boats are docked here as well]

On June 30th 1888, the Lycoming Recorder mentioned "The new steamboat that will ply between this city and Mountain Grove".   

Whether or not that was referring to  the first Hiawatha is unknown. Other steam boats on the Susquehanna at Williamsport included Maid of the Mist, The Abe Lincoln, The Sylvan Dell [was this a steam boat?  Not certain], and the Twilight.  A steamboat named the Lily was owned by the Susquehanna Boom Company.

A much clearer version of the photo above - showing the boats docked under the bridge

"A generation ago, when life was simpler and, according to those whose memory goes back that far, the better for it, a journey to Sylvan Dell aboard this stern-wheeler was one of the delights of the Summer season....

 Sylvan Dell, to the south side of the [Susquehanna] river 3.5 miles below Williamsport, was the most popular spot for Sunday School picnics and other outings. Under the skillful command of Capt. "Jack" English, the shallow-draft craft, following a channel which shifted from season to season, made the downward trip from Market Street in 20 to 25 minutes and the upstream trip in 30 to 35 minutes.....

 With an 80-foot length, 18-foot beam and two decks, it carried several hundred passengers, the fare being 10 cents for adults, children free. 

Its season opened about Memorial Day and closed with Dickinson Seminary's traditional 'Chestnut Party' in October, the boat thereafter being taken to its Winter haven back of Goose Island.

 In the Fall of 1914 the trip to this haven was too long delayed. The craft was caught in Winter ice at its Market Street Bridge mooring. The Spring break-up spelled its doom. The faithful craft, after stout resistance, surrendered to the heaving, crushing ice and was carried away on the flood.

Is that the Hiawatha under the bridge on the left?  It doesn't quite look like it... I'm uncertain what exactly that is.

The Hiawatha, followed by the Hiawatha II, traveled from a dock at  the Market Street Bridge, three and a half miles across the river to the Sylvan Dell Park, stopping at Goose Island beach along the way.

Read more about Sylvan Dell Park, and Goose Island Beach, Here:

https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2020/09/sylvan-dell-park-williamsport.html

July 30 1901

At 80 feet in length, with two decks and an 18ft beam, the Hiawatha would travel three and a half miles from a dock in Williamsport, across the river to the Sylvan Dell Park.  The trip would take 20-25 minutes, with the return trip, upstream, taking ten minutes longer.

March 18, 1910
Captain John English is noted as the Steamers Captain.

As many as 200 passengers could ride the  steamer at one time.  The fare was ten cents for adults, but children could ride for free. 

June 1906

"Steamboat ready to leave for Sylvan Dell"

There were two paddlewheelers.  Records show Hiawatha 1 was painted red, and used until it became dilapidated and was dismantled.  The Hiawatha II, which was white, was docked most of the time at the east side of the bridge on the Williamsport side of the river.

The Hiawatha I, white, is to the left.

"I saw them build that boat along the bank on the west side" said Mr Harer, in a 1979 interview for the Williamsport Grit.   That must have been 75 or 80 years ago, at least.  The boat went down as I recall, in one of the floods of the early 1900s."

The Hiawatha can be seen in the background here, in a photo from the 1889 flood. The steamer had a dock near the bridge here.  

The White Hiawatha #1

Docked under the Market Street Bridge

1900

In 1900, Mrs Shearer ran a considerable distance in order to catch the boat, overexerting herself.  "Scarcely had she boarded the boat when she collapsed."  Corsets were a  relatively new fashion in 1900, although the article does not mention whether or not Mrs Shearer was wearing one.

"The park was one of the great picnic areas of the time.  Our church, the First United Evangelical, always had it's own outing there.  We each took our own basket lunch.  There as a big dance floor with all kinds of entertainment.  Most everybody took the old paddlewheel steamboat on its regular run between the Market Street Bridge and the park."

"At first they lit the boats with oil lamps" recalled Mr Harer.  "Electricity was just coming in.  When they installed electric lights on the boat, it looked beautiful streaming down the river to the dance pavilion.  For smaller groups of 30 to 40 people, they had a gasoline launch to take people to the park.  Gasoline engines were just coming in then also."

This 1914 advertisement mentions two park boats, and an earlier article specified that the Sylvan Dell, not the Hiawatha, would be making a trip.  

When I first saw this photo with the name sylvan dell written [in pen, on the photo] on the boat, I thought it merely referred to the boat traveling to Sylvan Dell.  However, now I wonder if this is the Sylvan Dell Boat, and not the Hiawatha?  If so - the boats were identical. I think it is more likely that the Sylvan Dell was a smaller, gas powered boat, perhaps the one shown in front here.

"Its season opened about memorial day, and closed with Dickinson Seminary's traditional Chestnut party in October, the boat thereafter being taken to its winter haven back of Goose Island.  In the fall of 1914, the trip to this haven was too long delayed. The craft was caught in the winter ice at it's Market Street mooring. The spring break-up spelled its doom.  The faithful craft, after stout resistance, surrendered to the heaving crushing ice and was carried away on the flood.  In this picture, showing a gay picnic crowd aboard the steamer at the Sylvan Dell dock, there is also shown a gasoline launch which afforded speedier supplementary service, but never won an equal place in the hearts of young or old." - Journal Of The Lycoming County Historical Society, Spring 1981

The Abe Lincoln was another steamboat that traveled this section of the river.  This steamer made the trip from Williamsport to the popular Nippono Amusement Park in Jersey Shore.

The "Lincoln" at Market Street Bridge. On back of photo: "Abe Lincoln transported people to Sylvan Dell Park (sister boat to Hiawatha)."

 The Nippono was a typical Trolley Park of  the time, with a dancing pavilion, movie theater, miniature railroad, roller skating, merry go round, and even private cottages.  The Abe Lincoln would make the trip from Williamsport to Nippono in an hours time.

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Find an index of stories about Steam Boats, Ferries, and Other Water Craft, here:

https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2024/06/steam-ships-ferry-boats-other-watercraft.html

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READ MORE

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 In this picture, showing a gay picnic crowd aboard the steamer at the Sylvan Deck, there is also shown the gasoline launch which afforded speedier supplementary service, but which never won an equal place in the hearts of young and old." 

"On Tuesday evening a party of thirty took a moonlight ride on the new steamer Twilight up to Linden". I

August 3 1895, Williamsport Sun

"Newberry News---Tivy Wheel Club Members Go to Nippono Park---Their experiences before arriving there were varied---Notes of the week gathered for Grit.---"

"A great time was experienced by the Tivy Wheel Club and a number of its friends Friday evening. The boys, to about the number of 44, started for Nippono Park on the steamer Twilight. They did not reach the resort, however, without some laughable occurrences. At the time the boat, having run aground, all hands were unloaded onto the transports under the direction of Amos Antrim and conveyed to shore. Then a rope was attached to the boat and all hands pulled her into deep water. Upon arriving at the park the Demorest Band which was included in the party rendered several fine selections and shortly afterward all partook of an excellent chicken and waffle dinner, prepared by Landlord Bower.The party, after getting aground several times on the homeward trip, finally landed at Newberry about 5:30 o'clock yesterday morning."

Spotted in a local thrift store

A steam-driven stern-wheeler under the command of Captain Jack English, the original Hiawatha traveled 3 and a half miles from a dock in Williamsport, across the river to the Sylvan Dell Park. 

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JERSEY SHORE, WILLIAMSPORT, PA - ANTQ NIPPONO AMUSEMENT PARK SOUVENIR BOOKLETIt is our pleasure to offer this interesting souvenir booklet from Nippono Park, which was located along the Susquehanna a few miles from Jersey Shore i n Limestone Township.In the late 19th Century -- probably when this brochure was produced -- the park was a very attractive, family-oriented park on the river bank, at the foot of a mountain, for picnic parties  There was a dancing pavilion and roller skating, coal-fired and steam-powered merry-go-round, free moving pictures in a theater, a miniature railroad, hotel and bar, concession stand and private cottages. A good-sized steamboat named the Abe Lincoln ran between there and Williamsport hauling passengers, making the trip one-way in about an hour. Most all trains stopped at a nearby station, including a trolley. Even a post office was established there in 1892. The site could also be reached by horse and buggy. The park was a popular boating spot with docks reaching far out into the river for canoes and private craft. There was a sand beach for swimming and a bathhouse for changing. Fishing was another popular activity. Information in the book, and there's nearly as much text as there are photos, indicates the park dated back to Indian times. Col. George Sanderson's huge estate, Lochabar. was nearby. When this booklet was published the park was being operated by the Jersey Shore & Antes Fort Railroad., with trains of the P&E RR also stopping at the park.

July 1914