“the Colona at Lawrence, Kansas in 1859”

Casein on Rag Board
14” X 24”

From the Collection of Elaine Hartman

The Colona was a small, low draft sidewheeler and one of two to travel the Kaw River.  Built in 1859 somewhere on the Ohio River, she came to Kansas in the spring and was documented at Lawrence on June 4th of that year.

There was an account of her in the White Cloud, Kansas Chief newspaper and the editor said she looked like a “medium sized mud turtle”!

Very little is known about Colona and she was off the registry in 1861.