The Unique Story Of The 19th-Century Shipwrecks Buried Beneath Kansas Cornfields

Would you believe that beneath the fertile soil of Kansas, a state known more for its wheat than waterways, lie buried shipwrecks from a bygone era? It’s a startling fact. The remnants of 19th-century steamboats, once gliding along the Missouri River, now rest under cornfields, far from any visible body of water.

In 1853, the Great White Arabia was built in West Brownsville, Pennsylvania. John S. Pringle’s boatyard saw the creation of this great steamboat.

On a fateful day in 1856, the steamboat Great White Arabia struck a submerged log in the treacherous waters of the Missouri River and sank rapidly. Unlike many vessels of its time, the Arabia was laden not with gold or bourbon, but with 220 tons of cargo destined for frontier towns.

The Arabia didn’t only have cargo on board. The ship also carried about 150 crew and passengers. While many steamboat wrecks of this time could end in the loss of human life, the Arabia was lucky.

During the time of the Arabia’s sinking, an eyewitness account was recorded of what exactly happened by a passenger who survived named Abel Kirk.

In the mid-1800s, the Missouri River was the lifeline of the American frontier, a bustling thoroughfare for commerce and migration (via New World Encyclopedia). Steamboats like the Great White Arabia were the workhorses of this era, carrying goods and passengers across the vast expanse of the Midwest.

Though many traveled on the Missouri River throughout American history, the first steamboat didn’t make the voyage until 1819. During this time, four steamboats left St. Louis to try to make it through the mouth of the Yellowstone River.

Fort Benton, Montana became an important port on the Missouri River, especially once steamboats began to increase trade and travel in the region. However, traveling on the river remained risky, thanks to those rough waters.

Steamboats successfully mastering the Missouri River at least occasionally had a monumental effect on the lands and towns attached to the water. Suddenly, everything opened up for people on the frontier in places like Kansas.

The Missouri River has long been an important feature of many states, particularly Kansas and Missouri. Many Native Americans and explorers had use of the Missouri in the centuries before westward expansion.

Throughout the American Frontier, various trails such as the Santa Fe and California trails had their starting points at the Missouri River. In this way, the river opened up the west of the country to explorers and settlers.

While steamboats became an efficient way to transport both goods and travelers, it wasn’t without its dangers. The rough waters of rivers like the Missouri could often devastate these boats.

Passengers and crewmembers on steamboats didn’t only have to worry about possible snags that would sink the ship. Other dangers, such as explosions on board the ship, could be common during the 1800s.

The reason these steamboat relics are found beneath Kansas farmland today is due to significant human intervention. At the end of the 19th century, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers undertook massive projects to tame the Missouri River’s flow, altering its course and speeding up its current for safer and quicker travel.

For decades, local lore among Kansas City residents hinted at a steamboat laden with goods, buried beneath their land. The story of the Great White Arabia, filled with barrels of Kentucky bourbon, was a tantalizing local legend that many considered just a myth.

In 1987, a dedicated team from Kansas City set out to turn legend into reality. Fueled by stories passed down through generations and armed with historical research and modern technology, they located the Great White Arabia less than a year after beginning their quest (via We Are the Mighty).

Following the discovery of the Great White Arabia, another steamboat, the Malta, was found buried under Kansas soil (via The Arabia Steamboat Musem). Like the Arabia, the Malta was a vessel of commerce, swallowed by the river’s depths, only to be revealed years later, far from the water.

The preservation conditions beneath the Kansas fields were nothing short of miraculous. The cargo of the Great White Arabia, buried under layers of silt and cut off from light and oxygen, remained remarkably intact.

The discoveries of the Arabia and Malta extend beyond mere historical curiosity; they serve as educational treasures, providing a tangible link to the past.

Among the Arabia’s unearthed treasures were personal items, tools, and goods meant for frontier stores. Each artifact tells a story, from the elaborate china meant for a family’s new start in the West, to the simple toys that would have delighted children of the era.

The Arabia’s cargo that was discovered also gives some more historical detail into the lives of those who traveled on the steamboat. For example, many Mormon settlers were on the boat at the time of the sinking, making their way to a new life in Utah.

The Bleeding Kansas War — also known as the Border War — was occurring during the time of the Arabia’s travels. This war would last from about 1854 to 1859.

Today, the Arabia Steamboat Museum in Kansas City stands as a nod to the enduring spirit of discovery and preservation.

The story of the steamboats buried beneath Kansas is far from over. The ongoing preservation efforts and research into the artifacts found on the Arabia and Malta continue to shed light on this fascinating chapter of American history.