As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, WTOP presents “250 Years of America,” a multipart series examining the innovations, breakthroughs and pivotal moments that have shaped the nation ...

For generations school children learned that Robert Fulton perfected the first steamboat in 1807 and that it changed America. Certainly, Fulton’s boat, originally called the “North River Steamboat” ...

ALBANY, N.Y. | Cruising along at five miles per hour, Robert Fulton made his famous steamboat voyage up the Hudson River from New York City to Albany in 32 hours. Agonizing by today's standards, the ...