building the american landscape - Univerza v Novi Gorici

Until coal was introduced, they were fuelled by wood cut from the river
banks. The boats of the Mid‐West consumed over one hundred and fifty
square kilometres of forest a day at the height of their splendour. 181
The steamboat [Figures 73] had not only modified the perception of the landscape,
but it also left a physical mark on the transformation of the natural environments
along the rivers, and enabled the transition of means of transport sparked by the
revolution to be implemented in the territories further inland. The United States
were transformed from an Atlantic nation to a continental nation.
The boat, as symbolised in the film Fitzcarraldo (1982) by Werner Herzog, was the
epitome of the conquest, of the “civilisation” of a wild territory. It expressed the
possibility of dominating a vast, remote territory. The arrival of the force of steam
made it possible to exploit the natural resources of the lands crossed. The contrast
between the opulent interiors, the ballrooms, the highly decorated cabins and the
natural wilderness of the territories crossed symbolised a conflict rather than a
mediation between two different worlds.
Without the success of river transport, towns, such as Cincinnati, Louisville,
Memphis and Baton Rouge, would have remained little settlements.
The steamboat’s “imperialism” became an everyday, tangible presence, yet another
reason of conflict between the natives and pioneers. As regards the town, the
topography of the river became extremely important and the urban image mirrored
a world of work flows and industriousness.
Images of the river towns highlight a panorama featuring the smoking funnels of the
boats, the river banks crowded with people and goods [Figures 70‐72]. The
steamboat is the earth shattering, vitalising element. The outline of the towns
highlights this aspect, without which the river scenes would not hold any special
interest.
Suffice it to look at the lithograph showing the city of St. Louis in 1859 [Figure 70]on
the eve of the Civil War. The print portrays a good 31 steamboats, which completely
occupy the lower part of the scene. The large boats like floating palaces leave no
free space, as they line up closely along the river bank, where hundreds of people
181 Ibid., pp. 162‐164
108