The first recorded sternwheeler on the Yukon was the "Wilder", which was launched by the Russian-American Telegraph Company in 1866. Its' history is unknown but is listed by the Carcross schools in their Yukon History curriculum. Why steamboats? These "boats" were nothing more than a  flat bottom barge with an engine and rudder. The paddles were mounted on the rear, which is the stern, and grouped in a circle to obtain a revolving wheel. This sounds very similar to a railroad locomotive. In fact, the engines on these steamboats were the same as the locomotive engines. These flat bottom barges with a locomotive engine driving a round paddle wheel mounted on the rear are, by definition known as a Sternwheeler.  These vessels could maneuver on shallow rivers making them ideal for the Yukon and its' tributary the Tanana River. Docks were not required since these vessels could run the bow onto the shore and while leaving the the paddle and rudder in the river.
All of major trading companies in the Yukon and Alaska Territory had their own sternwheeler for transporting supplies to their stores. They were a major transportation source for passengers and traders.

The majority of the Sternwheelers had three decks. The first was the main deck which had the boiler, engine, fire box (wood for fuel), cargo or freight and kitchen. Next was the cabin deck which were the rooms for the passengers. The third and sometimes the last was the Texas Deck for the crew. At the top sat the pilot house. Various combinations of these layouts existed depending on the purpose and use.

The first recorded Port or stop was at the mid-point along the Tanana River at a location near its' merging with the Chena River. This stop was an Aschanbacan fish camp known as Chena and later was identified on maps as "New Town Chena". The Chena River was a spring fed river and become a torrent with the melting snow and ice during the Spring season. Riverboat Captains quickly learned to avoid the river during late summer due to low water levels and the ever changing sand bars. Since the Chena River did not fit the the typical deep water ports, the "New Town Chena" seemed to be an ideal location. It was-- until:
One individual decided to build a trading post near the main route of the gold strikes near the Yukon and close to the rivers. On his fourth attempt, he reached the shallow banks of the Chena River of what is now called Fairbanks. The Sternwheeler used on this journey was named the Lavelle Young.  However, it was not the first Sternwheeler to come up the river.

Spreading the news on river travel was first introduced in May 1903, by this note  (advertisment) in the Fairbanks News.