The Arabia Treasures

09-21-2025

Steamboats shaped America’s expansion.

The Arabia treasures remind us how river travel shaped westward growth in the 1800s. The Missouri River, stretching over 2,300 miles, carried commerce and people. Yet, the river proved dangerous. Mud, hidden snags, fires, and boiler explosions sank hundreds of steamboats. More than 400 were lost, with about 300 claimed by submerged trees silently waiting beneath the surface.

The Arabia began with promise.

Built in Pennsylvania in 1853, the Arabia was a proud steamboat serving the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. Eventually, Captain John Shaw purchased it to operate on the treacherous Missouri. Measuring 171 feet in length with over 200 gross register tons, the Arabia could carry vast amounts of goods and passengers.

Powering the vessel required fuel.

The Arabia’s massive steam engine consumed 30 cords of wood daily. Two large paddle wheels, 28 feet across, pushed the boat forward. Even with all that power, upstream speed averaged only five miles per hour. Despite its challenges, the Arabia managed long voyages, even transporting soldiers between Kansas and South Dakota forts.

The boat met tragedy in 1856.

After Captain Shaw sold it, new owners operated it with mixed fortune. Minor collisions and engine issues plagued the vessel. On September 5, 1856, fate struck. Near Parkville, Missouri, a walnut snag pierced the hull. The boat quickly sank, leaving only its upper deck visible. Though all 130 aboard survived, the Missouri River consumed the Arabia entirely within days.

Rediscovery began many decades later.

In the 1860s, landowner Elisha Sortor heard tales of the sunken Arabia. For generations, locals repeated the story, though the exact location faded. By 1987, treasure hunters studied maps and archives, securing permission from Sortor’s descendants to search the land. Their persistence uncovered the boat’s final resting place, buried under 45 feet of silt and topsoil.

Excavation became an enormous challenge.

What began as a $60,000, three-week project ballooned into $250,000 and four and a half months. To succeed, they installed 20 irrigation wells to lower the water table, pumping 20,000 gallons per minute. The mud had preserved goods in pristine condition, but oxygen now threatened them. Preservation became the top priority.

The Arabia treasures revealed history.

Recovered cargo told a story of global trade in the 1850s. Silk from the Orient, perfume from France, tobacco from South America, and dishes from England filled the hold. Each artifact connected modern explorers with Abraham Lincoln’s time. These treasures now remind us that preservation is wealth, and history is an inheritance worth guarding.

The Arabia Steamboat Museum.

Today, you can visit the Arabia Steamboat Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, and view all the artifacts found, such as fine china, tools, children’s toys, and the world’s oldest pickles! The Arabia museum is open Monday through Sunday, except on various holidays.

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