April 14, 2003
HIST 4000 Gagnon
“Money makes itself a real privileged class in society, which keeps itself
apart and rudely makes the rest conscious of its pre-eminence.”1
In the Antebellum era, travel was no easy feat, even for the financially
successful Americans. Poorly constructed roads, inadequate methods of
transportation, costly lodging and food expenses, and danger would have kept the
normal, well-off person content at home. However, this was not the case to the
bustling, entrepreneurial spirit of the wealthy American people. Not only did
they travel, they toured and wrote on their experiences and encouraged
innovation while pushing forward in all directions-north, south, east, and west.
Tocqueville also noticed that “restlessness of character” seemed to be a
distinctive trait of the American people.2
Many mobile Americans were farmers, peddlers, and poor artists. However, the
nineteenth-century produced a time period of exploration and the newly
industrialized era produced a leisure class that could afford the costs to
sightsee and tour. Also, inventions and improvements such as extension of
railroad lines, the furthering of canals, more efficient ships and other
innovations helped foment travel for pleasure. The popularity of tourism also
began to drive the line that separated the rich from the poor even further
apart.
The places that received the most frequent number of affluent visitors were
Europe and increasingly, sites of natural wonders. Niagara Falls especially
generated upper-class interest and led to other popular travel sites such as
Tallulah Falls and Madison Springs. From the beginning of the nineteenth-century
until the Civil War, tourism was a booming industry that served as a precedent
and forecast of what the future industry would experience for the burgeoning
upper classes.
Road travel began to spread when the farmers and merchants began traveling
long distances to bring their goods to market in the late eighteenth-century.3
Alexis de Tocqueville commented, “In all the journeys I have made in the United
States I have never seen one single person in his own carriage or with his own
horses.”4
Indeed, this applied to wealthy people who traveled and toured to public places
and commuted by public transportation. As leisure travel became more popular,
stage-wagons and stagecoaches served the majority of travelers. This form of
travel did not discriminate between its passengers. Whoever could afford the
fare could travel in the stagecoaches. Europeans, Americans from different
states, actors, aristocrats, legislators, gamblers and prostitutes all took
advantage of stagecoaches. Occasionally, slaves also sat inside accompanied by
their masters. The egalitarianism of the American stagecoach often surprised
European visitors.5
As all travelers endured each other’s company, they also endured together the
rough travel accommodations. As mentioned previously, roads were of very poor
quality. With the exception of a few turnpikes and government highways, the
stagecoach ride was very uncomfortable. Passengers were jarred, jostled,
fatigued, thrown around, and subjected to motion sickness. Travelers had to be
prepared for everything, and this included accidents that were likely to occur.
Stagecoaches were often overturned and accidents were very common in long-term
travels. Although travel by stagecoach could be an exasperating mode of travel,
it remained the most common form of travel until the beginning of the Civil War.
“The common roads of the United States were still inferior to those of any
civilized country,” observed one traveler, in 1847.6
The complaints of travelers, especially foreign, never ceased to exist during
the nineteenth-century. It was not uncommon to see wagon or coach wrecks, loose
stones in roadways, scattered logs, and impassable obstacles such as mud,
swamps, and mountains.
With the expanding population, road improvements were undertaken in abundance
during the early nineteenth-century. Local governments contributed labor and
capitol to road betterments to facilitate the movement of products, goods, and
travelers. The best roads were the county roads, turnpikes, and federal
highways. One successful government highway was the Federal Highway that
connected Knoxville and Savannah to Ringgold, Georgia.7
In 1803 the Cherokee Indians, the Federal government, and the Georgia government
contributed to the construction of the highway that lasted until 1805. The road
ran south to the current city of Tate all the way east to Athens. Presently,
remnants of the road can barely be seen. However, though the highway built was
significantly better than previous roads, the main form of transportation in
Georgia, before the railroad, was river travel.
Steamboat travel was used quite frequently in the early nineteenth-century.
Its relative speed, comfort, and low costs made it a popular method of travel.
In Georgia, steamboats were confined to coastal regions and navigable rivers in
the Savannah, Flint, Ocmulgee, and Chattahoochee rivers.8
For the rich, steamboats were not always the most luxurious method of travel.
There were no staterooms, and passengers often were overcrowded. The passengers,
to the dismay of the wealthy, ranged from ministers to gamblers, dancers, and
farmers. To get to landlocked places and further destinations, rivers would not
always suffice. Predictably, stagecoaches and land travel became the predominant
mode of transportation. Next, we will discuss where the Americans traveled to
that kept the well-to-do population hungry and on the move.
In this flourishing, industrious time period, there was much to be seen and
to be explored by the entrepreneurial and affluent. Surprisingly, where people
seemed to flock to the most were the sites of natural wonders. While parks and
beaches were occasionally visited, the majestic waterfalls and historical
mineral springs were what caught and retained the attention of the prosperous
American people.
Tourism in the nineteenth-century cannot be properly discussed without
mentioning Niagara Falls, one of the most popular tourist sites in history.
Widespread travel to Niagara began to develop after the War of 1812, and then
even more so after the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825.9
Railroads, bridges, and industrial opportunities also helped foster the tourist
industry throughout the early nineteenth-century. By the late 1840’s, Niagara
had attracted over 40,000 visitors annually. 10
The majority of the visitors to Niagara Falls were of the upper classes. They
came to see the battlefields and other war sites from the War of 1812, caves,
fairs, stunts, events, and of course, the water itself. Niagara Falls’
popularity in the artwork, photographs, theatre, and literature of the time also
firmly entrenched the site into visitors’ minds.
People visited the site for many reasons: inspiration, the contemplation of
life, the religious pull, and of course, social acceptance in certain circles.
No matter why each person came, those who documented their experiences had a
unique and awe-inspired perspective of the falls. A few people commented on its
symbolism to the young country, others on its potential dangers, and still the
majority of the people provided their own descriptions of the falls. Many
observers compared the water to a living thing: “rolling and struggling down,
chafing the sunny islets, as if jealous of their beauty,” commented one woman.11
Still, others personified it as having greedy, sullen, angry, haughty, and moody
feelings. The history and uniqueness of Niagara Falls made it one of the most
popular destinations for wealthy travelers in the antebellum era.
Although many wealthy travelers continued to flock to the growing area, many
scholars became disenchanted with the Falls. Tocqueville warned, “If you wish to
see this place in its grandeur, hasten. If you delay, your Niagara will have
been spoiled for you.” 12
Many believed that all the development around Niagara was distracting from the
site. Ironically, many upper class travelers were attracted to the resorts, the
Maid of the Mist steamboat rides, technologically advanced developments
such as newly engineered bridges, and “authenticated” Niagara certificates.
Commercial entertainments such as tightrope walking and sending live animals
over the falls in a ship provided entertainment people enjoyed.
North Georgia and Athens also represent travel by the upper class. As tourism
became more popular, the wealthy Southerners began traveling closer to home.
Tallulah Falls provided a miniaturized version of Niagara Falls for tourists in
Georgia who wished to travel locally. Indeed, its name was the “Little Niagara
of the South.” The Falls was presumably found by Cherokee Indians. As white men
began to visit the area in the early nineteenth-century, stories and legends
were retold to the fascination of the travelers. The area gradually became more
established as Native Americans were forced to vacate the land. Mapmakers began
to include the Tallulah Falls in the 1820’s, followed with limited recognition
by the gazetteers, encyclopedias, and journal articles.13
“One glimpse of Tallulah is worth a voyage across the Atlantic…Yet, who has
heard of Tallulah.”14
In1849, one angry woman from Boston correctly summed up the early reputation of
the Falls. Besides brief mentions of Tallulah Falls, not much information was
written on the area before the Civil War.
Tallulah Falls included four major falls and several cascades, pools, and
rapids, and is a beautiful sight to see. As time progressed, visitors fondly
began naming the different cataracts: Tempesta, Hurricane, Oceana, and Bridal
Veil are a few of the names given to the waterfalls in the early years. The
Falls was often compared with the more popular waterfalls such as Niagara Falls
and Yosemite Falls. However, many people found Tallulah Falls to be unique and
impressive.
The nineteenth-century community who could afford to travel often made weekly
trips to Tallulah Falls. The trips were often schedules on a “grand tour” of
Toccoa Falls and other such natural sites. One trip was recorded to include
twenty-eight in a caravan of wagons, buggies, servants, and cooks.15
Many wealthy people often built summerhouses around the area. Those with less
money could only afford one trip to the Falls, if that. In 1818 and 1819,
Habersham and Rabun County were established close to the Tallulah Falls, and the
area became more populated.
For those who could afford it, mineral springs and areas with active exercise
became promoted as a healthy and fun activity. One of these more famous tourist
spots for the South was Madison Springs, located in northeastern Georgia. This
mineral spring was the principal watering place in Georgia before 1925.16
Madison Springs was often referred to as “The Saratoga of the South.” Southern
pride was strong, and one editor of the Georgian was asked what made
high society at Saratoga and what was good society? He answered, “An
intermixture of intellect and grace,” and that “more than two thirds of the
intellect and the grace in fact, came from the south.”17
The area was originally occupied by the Cherokee Indians, who left in the
late 1700’s; however, the true founder of the springs has never been discovered
in the history books. After the property changed hands numerous times, James
Alexander became the sole owner of Madison Springs in around 1815. He
established a village nearby and sectioned off land and sold it to wealthy
parties. The village was originally intended for families who spent the summer
there, but the newly developed hotel became the principal place of stay for
travelers.18
Located approximately 23 miles from Athens, 2-3 days from Augusta, and served
by stagecoach lines, Madison Springs was fairly easily accessible. As time
passed, improved stage lines, the Georgia Railroad, and daily trips offered to
Tallulah and Toccoa Falls increased its popularity. Popularity also increased
with a new campaign that encouraged Southerners away from “Yankee” watering
places. Southerners argued that money needed to be spent and invested in the
home states. Newspapers around the region also gave praising reviews of Madison
Springs and offered travel advice. These reasons with many others led
individuals to visit the springs for their own reasons.
The healing waters of the springs offered relief to invalids and sickly
individuals. Later, the people came for amusement, pleasure, and a break from
life. Both women and men enjoyed the bathing and other social activities. Indoor
amusements included games like tenpins, billiards, checkers, backgammon, and
bowling. The water in the springs maintained a 60-65 degree temperature, and
many analysts came to decipher what was in the water. One magazine author
informed the public that the waters contained iron, sulphurated hydrogen, and
carbonic acid gas combined with iron.19
Because of Madison Springs close proximity to Athens and surrounding area, it
was a favorite spot for students and residents in the city. Many random
newspapers had advertisements for day trips and all-included hotel packages. One
advertisement for the Rail Road Hotel in Athens advertised a stagecoach that
would run from Athens to Madison Springs every morning and return the same
evening.20
One student at the University of Georgia proclaimed to spend a week at Madison
Springs and danced all night every night, then returned to Athens on a
stagecoach. It was also a common practice for the graduated students and their
families to take a trip to Madison Springs after the commencement ceremonies.21
The students and their families were a good example of the well educated, upper
class tourists that were known for making trips such as these.
Another place the upper class would consistently travel to was Europe. The
“Grand Tour,” as it was called, was popular among the wealthy and educated
classes. If travel within America was expensive, traveling on a lengthy trip to
Europe became the true test of wealth. The Grand Tour began with only the
British traveling throughout the eighteenth-century to their mecca, Rome.22
Europeans journeyed there to visit the vast number of museums, the art,
architecture, and literature of the Renaissance. Many books and photographs of
these wonders surfaced, and Americans grew curious enough to see the sites
themselves. Although Americans had great pride in their country, they had no
ancient monuments, Renaissance arts, and their past didn’t compare with the
lengthy history of Europe.
One difference between the British and the Americans however, was that the
Americans went more places than just Rome; they visited England, France,
Switzerland, and sometimes Germany.23
These travels took about two years on the average. Another thing that is
interesting to note is the fact that the Americans began to travel in England.
Americans in the eighteenth-century turned their backs on England, but as time
passed they grew curious about the country their ancestors had felt such
animosity and ties to. Another reason was that the Americans were comparing
themselves with the British. Although they looked at the British as inferior,
Americans still wanted acceptance from the elite British society.24
The sites in Europe that interested Americans were museums, art galleries,
cathedrals, and battlefields. Like the British, Americans were also interested
in Renaissance and other original and famous artwork that they read about and
saw in books. The cathedrals, although impressive, caused disdain to many
travelers who thought their jeweled and showy saints were in bad taste. The last
sites many chose to see were the battlefields, particularly those in which
Napoleon had fought on.
At the end of the spectacular tour, some anxious to return home and some
yearning for more, the tourists always brought home memories and gifts for their
friends and family. This was a very obvious show of wealth and the distinction
of class was further divided with the traveling privileges the upper class
participated in.
To afford the luxury of travel, it is essential to have money. Travel in the
nineteenth-century was generally confined to the wealthy. However, Tocqueville
summed up the upper class in America to include everyone who had “something to
live on and has had a decent education.”25
Whether or not it is true, it is undeniably known that travel wasn’t cheap.
Those who made the trips either did it out of necessity, such as farmers, or the
wealthy, which did it for leisure. Traveling for pleasure among affluent
Americans in the years after 1820 became widespread. The upper class is the true
traveling group who supported the tourist industry and who helped make it what
it is today.
1.
Tocqueville, Alexis de, Journey to America (Anchor Books,
1971), 274
2.
Tocqueville, 185
3.
Larkin, Jack, The Reshaping of Everyday Life 1790-1840
(Harper and Row, Publishers) 211
4.
Tocqueville, 226
5.
Hair, 328
6.
Larkin, 218
7.
Irby, Richard, “North Georgia, 1783-1828”; available from 8.
Hair, William J, “Stagecoaches and Public Accommodations in
Antebellum Georgia,” Georgia Historical Quarterly no. 3 (1984):323.
9.
Dubinsky, Karen, “The Pleasure is Exquisite but Violent: The
Imaginary Geography of Niagara Falls in the Nineteenth-Century,” Journal of
Canadian Studies (Canada) 1994 29(2): 64-88
10.
Dubinsky, 70
11.
Dubinsky, 72
12.
Irwin, William, The New Niagara: Tourism, Technology, and the
Landscape of Niagara Falls, 1776-1917 (The Pennsylvania State University
Press) 19.
13.
Coulter, E. Merton, “Georgia Waters: Tallulah Falls, Madison
Springs, Scull Shoals and the Okefenokee Swamp,” Georgia Historical
Quarterly 1964, 1-190
14.
Merton, 9
15.
Coulter, 29
16.
Coulter, E. Merton, “Madison Springs, Georgia Watering Place”
Georgia Historical Quarterly 1963, 375-407
17.
Coulter, 390
18.
Coulter, 379
19.
“The Up-Country of Georgia,” Savannah Republican , 31 May
1845, p. 2.
20.
“Rail Road Hotel” Southern Banner , 17 March 1836, p. 3.
21.
Coulter, 394
22.
Martin, Mary Ellen, “Nineteenth-century Salem on the Grand Tour,”
Essex Institue Historical Collections 1980, 1-20
23.
Martin, 4
24.
Martin, 5
25.
Tocqueville, 157