Robert Fulton launched the commercially successful steamboat Clermont on the Hudson River in 1807.
Fulton’s boat, commonly called Clermont, began regular passenger service between New York City and Albany in August 1807. Its commercial success demonstrated that steam-powered navigation could operate reliably on a major river and against currents.
Fulton did not invent the steamboat. Earlier experimenters, including John Fitch and William Symington, had built working steam vessels. Fulton’s achievement was combining an effective design with a viable scheduled service supported by Robert Livingston.
The Clermont’s success helped establish steamboat transportation in the United States. Steam navigation soon expanded on rivers and lakes, reducing travel times and supporting trade and settlement.