 Boat travel on the Missouri started with the wood @-@ framed canoes and bull boats of the Native Americans , which were used for thousands of years before the introduction of larger craft to the river upon colonization of the Great Plains . The first steamboat on the Missouri was the Independence , which started running between St. Louis and Keytesville , Missouri around 1819 . By the 1830s , large mail and freight @-@ carrying vessels were running regularly between Kansas City and St. Louis , and many traveled even farther upstream . A handful , such as the Western Engineer and the Yellowstone , were able to make it up the river as far as eastern Montana . 
 Boat travel on the Missouri started with the wood @-@ framed canoes and bull boats of the Native Americans , which <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>were</mark></a> used for thousands of years before the introduction of larger craft to the river upon colonization of the Great Plains . The first steamboat on the Missouri was the Independence , which started running between St. Louis and Keytesville , Missouri around 1819 . By the 1830s , large mail and freight @-@ carrying vessels <a href='uninflect' title='2'><mark>were</mark></a> running regularly between Kansas City and St. Louis , and many traveled even farther upstream . A handful , such as the Western Engineer and the Yellowstone , <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>were</mark></a> able to make it up the river as far as eastern Montana . 
Boat travel on da Missouri started w tdawood @-@ framed canoes and bull boats of the Native Americans , which was used fa thousands of years b4 the introduction of larger craft to thdaiver upon colonization of thedaeat Plains . The dast steamboat on the Missouri was the Idapendence , which started running between St. Louis and Keytesville , Missouri around 1819 . By the 1830s , large mail and freight @-@ carrying vessels was runnin regularly between Kansas City and St. Louis , and many traveled even farther upstream . A handful , such as the Wedarn Engineer and the Yellowstone , was able to make it up the river as far as eastern Montana .