8 8 ▁to ▁ 1 9 0 9 . ▁Ar che ologist ▁Clar ence ▁Blo om field ▁Moore ▁le ased ▁the ▁ste amer ▁each ▁year ▁from ▁ 1 8 9 1 ▁to ▁ 1 8 9 5 ▁for ▁his ▁annual ▁exc urs ions ▁to ▁explore ▁the ▁St . ▁Joh ns ▁River ▁and ▁trib ut aries ▁for ▁Native ▁American ▁artifact s . ▁On ▁ 5 ▁November ▁ 1 9 0 9 , ▁the ▁p add l este amer ▁caught ▁fire ▁and ▁s ank ▁ending ▁its ▁twenty - one ▁years ▁of ▁service ▁in ▁the ▁passenger ▁and ▁fre ight ▁business . ▁In ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁the ▁L ighth ouse ▁Arch ae ological ▁Mar itime ▁Program ▁led ▁a ▁search ▁of ▁the ▁east ▁side ▁of ▁Lake ▁C res cent ▁for ▁the ▁sun ken ▁w reck age ▁of ▁the ▁All ig ator . ▁ ▁Design ▁and ▁construction ▁ ▁The ▁O ck law aha ▁River ▁was ▁a ▁primary ▁route ▁of ▁transport ation ▁in ▁north ▁central ▁Florida ▁during ▁the ▁years ▁after ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Civil ▁War ▁until ▁rail ro ads ▁reached ▁the ▁area . ▁Pre viously ▁foreign ▁to ▁the ▁region , ▁small , ▁compact ▁steam bo ats ▁evol ved ▁to ▁service ▁the ▁narrow , ▁w inding ▁river . ▁The ▁boats ▁were ▁fitted ▁with ▁an ▁in board ▁stern ▁p addle - w heel ▁to ▁aid ▁in ▁navig ating ▁the ▁narrow , ▁thick ly ▁tre ed , ▁and ▁we edy ▁water ways . ▁ ▁Initial ▁design ▁and ▁construction ▁The ▁All ig ator ▁was ▁constructed ▁for ▁Captain ▁C . ▁W