Gridiron, Sonora

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Gridiron was a steamboat landing and woodyard on the lower Colorado River in Sonora state of northwestern Mexico,.

Steamboat smaller than a steamship; boat in which the primary method of marine propulsion is steam power

A steamboat is a boat that is propelled primarily by steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels. Steamboats sometimes use the prefix designation SS, S.S. or S/S or PS, however these designations are most often used for steamships.

A landing is a water terminal for river transport lines, such as for ferries, steamboats or cargo ships.

Colorado River major river in the western United States and Mexico

The Colorado River is one of the principal rivers in the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The 1,450-mile-long (2,330 km) river drains an expansive, arid watershed that encompasses parts of seven U.S. and two Mexican states. Starting in the central Rocky Mountains of Colorado, the river flows generally southwest across the Colorado Plateau and through the Grand Canyon before reaching Lake Mead on the Arizona–Nevada border, where it turns south toward the international border. After entering Mexico, the Colorado approaches the mostly dry Colorado River Delta at the tip of the Gulf of California between Baja California and Sonora.

Contents

It supplied fuel wood to heat the steam boilers of the shipping steamboats on the Colorado River from 1854 to the late 1870s.

Steamboats of the Colorado River

Steamboats on the Colorado River operated from the river mouth at the Colorado River Delta on the Gulf of California in Mexico, up to the Virgin River on the Lower Colorado River Valley in the Southwestern United States from 1852 until 1909, when the construction of the Laguna Dam was completed. The shallow draft paddle steamers were found to be the most economical way to ship goods between the Pacific Ocean ports and settlements and mines along the lower river, putting in at landings in Sonora state, Baja California Territory, California state, Arizona Territory, New Mexico Territory, and Nevada state. They remained the primary means of transportation of freight until the advent of the more economical railroads began cutting away at their business from 1878 when the first line entered Arizona Territory.

Geography

Gridiron was located 17 miles (27 km) above Port Famine, and 28 miles (45 km) below Ogden's Landing. [1] [2] Gridiron lay along the east bank of the river 47 miles (76 km) below what is now the Sonora/Mexico—Arizona/U.S. border. [3]

Port Famine was a steamboat landing and woodyard, supplying wood to the steamboats on the lower Colorado River in Sonora, Mexico, from the 1854 to the late 1870s. Port Famine was located 40 miles above Robinson's Landing and 17 miles below Gridiron. Port Famine lay along the east bank of the river 64 miles below what is now the Sonora - Arizona border.

Ogden's Landing was a steamboat landing and woodyard, owned by former ferry partner of George Alonzo Johnson, supplying wood to the steamboats on the lower Colorado River in Sonora, Mexico, from the mid 1854 to the late 1870s. Ogden's Landing was located 28 miles above Gridiron and 24 miles below Pedrick's. Ogden's Landing lay along the east bank of the river 19 miles below what is now the Sonora - Arizona border.

Arizona state of the United States of America

Arizona is a state in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the Western and the Mountain states. It is the sixth largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona shares the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico; its other neighboring states are Nevada and California to the west and the Mexican states of Sonora and Baja California to the south and southwest.

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Richard E. Lingenfelter, Steamboats on the Colorado River, 1852-1916, University of Arizona Press, Tucson, 1978, p.167
  2. ↑ Richard E. Lingenfelter, Steamboats on the Colorado River, 1852-1916, University of Arizona Press, Tucson, 1978 Archived 2016-01-18 at the Wayback Machine ., p.12
  3. ↑ Geological Map No. 1. Prepared by J.S. Newberry, M.D. Geologist to the Expedition. Explorations and Surveys. War Department. Map No. 1. Rio Colorado of the West, explored by 1st Lieut. Joseph C. Ives, Topl. Engrs. under the direction of the Office of Explorations and Surveys. A.A. Humphreys, Capt. Topl. Engrs. in Charge, by order of the Hon. John B. Floyd, Secretary of War. 1858. Drawn by Frhr. F.W.v. Egloffstein. Topographer to the Expedition. Topography by Frhr. F.W.v. Egloffstein. Ruling by Samuel Sartain. Lettering by F. Courtenay. from davidrumsey.com, accessed October 27, 2014.


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