Secrets of the James

The James River Batteau

A great flood in 1711 destroyed many of the dugout canoes used for transportation along the James River, Anthony and Benjamin Rucker designed an ingenious replacement for these more primitive craft.  The challenge of bringing giant barrels of tobacco downriver to Richmond to be loaded on oceangoing ships was a great one considering the shallows and rapids that lay between the upriver farms and the tidal James. This challenge was considered vital to the development of Virginia and later the United States. The long, narrow vessel the Ruckers constructed was the perfect balance of load capacity and maneuverability; all while maintaining a shallow draught somewhat less than a modern canoe. 

The batteau enjoyed a bright heyday, with upwards of 500 boats at a time plying the waters of the James. For many batteau, the trip to Richmond was one-way; either they were dashed to pieces in a rapid or they were dismantled and sold for lumber in Richmond. Perhaps 1 in 3 boats would be poled back upriver for the purpose of bringing the crew home with supplies shipped from outside the colony. The batteau era passed in the late 1700s, when construction of the James River Kanawha Canal made for safer, more reliable transportation of people and goods. But the exciting stories of the brave batteau-men, who were frequently African-American slaves, navigating the treacherous rapids are still with us today. What was lost for some time was the design of this boat. Despite the number of batteau that were constructed in the 18th century, accurate design details were unknown to modern Virginians. This all changed in 1983 when, during construction of the James Center in downtown Richmond, excavators uncovered what had been the bottom of the old canal basin. Buried in the silt were batteaus intact enough to inspire accurate replicas. A batteau renaissance ensued, and today a festival involving upwards of 25 such replicas enlightens and entertains river-goers from Lynchburg to Richmond each summer.

The 25th Annual James River Batteau Festival will be held this year from June 19th to June 26th.  Learn how batteau enthusiasts have resurrected this unique mode of river travel and how you can be involved at www.batteau.org

 

Top 10 List

Heather’s Top Picks for river-related activities on a rainy day:

1. Maymont Nature Center, Richmond
2. Amazement Square, Lynchburg
3. The Children’s Museum of Richmond
4. Virginia Living Museum, Newport News
5. Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, Virginia Beach
6. First Landing’s Chesapeake Bay Center, Virginia Beach
7. Virginia Museum of Natural History, Martinsville
8. Nauticus, Norfolk
9. Three Lakes Park and Nature Center, Richmond
10. Barrier Islands Center, Machipongo

Written by Heather Murdoch, JRA Education Coordinator