Alice (sternwheeler)

The Alice was a sternwheel steamboat that operated on the Willamette and Columbia Rivers in the Pacific Northwest of North America from 1897 to 1903. Built in Portland, Oregon, the Alice was primarily used for towing barges and transporting freight, although it could also carry passengers.

Alice was constructed by the Willamette Falls Transportation Company, a firm that operated a large fleet of sternwheelers on the Willamette River. The vessel was intended to supplement their existing fleet and provide additional capacity for the growing transport needs of the region.

The Alice was of wooden construction, powered by a steam engine that drove a large sternwheel. Sternwheelers were particularly well-suited to navigating the shallow and often swift-flowing rivers of the Pacific Northwest. Its design was typical of the sternwheelers of the era, prioritizing functionality and cargo capacity over luxurious passenger accommodations.

Throughout its operational life, Alice primarily towed barges loaded with various commodities, including grain, timber, and agricultural products. It also played a role in supporting the region's logging industry.

In 1903, the Alice was sold and its subsequent fate is less well documented. While the vessel may have continued operating under a different name or in a different capacity, it eventually disappeared from records.

While not a glamorous or high-profile vessel, the Alice represents a typical example of the workhorse sternwheelers that played a vital role in the economic development of the Pacific Northwest during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its contributions to the transportation of goods and support of industries like logging helped shape the region's growth.