PS Accommodation
| Company type | Steamboat |
|---|---|
| Industry | Transportation |
| Founded | 1809 in Montréal, Canada |
| Founder | John Molson |
| Headquarters | Montréal , Canada |
| Products | Steam-powered paddle steamer transport |
The Canadian paddle steamer Accommodation holds the distinction of being the first steamboat successfully built entirely within North America. Funded by the brewer John Molson, the vessel was constructed in Montréal in 1809 by John Jackson and John Bruce. Its engines were sourced from Forges du Saint-Maurice in Trois-Rivières, a prominent ironworking hub. The project cost amounted to £2000, and the steamer was equipped with two exposed paddle wheels as well as an auxiliary sail.
On November 3, 1809, Accommodation embarked on its inaugural journey, completing a thirty-six-hour passage from Montréal to Québec City. Despite this milestone, the steamboat failed to achieve commercial viability; by 1810, Molson had incurred losses totaling £4000, leading to the vessel's eventual dismantling. Nevertheless, Accommodation played a pioneering role in establishing steam packet services along the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes region. By 1819, regular steamboat operations included seven vessels on the river and others on various waterways, such as one on Lake Ontario, General Stacey Smyth navigating the Saint John River, and another notable for completing the first transatlantic steam voyage in 1831 between Québec City and Halifax.
Sources
Further reading
- Charlebois, Peter. Sternwheelers & Sidewheelers, The Romance of Steamdriven Paddleboats in Canada. 1978.