There's a lot of confusion about the history of this boat, or even its name, but it seems that the term appeared between the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century.
Its geographical origins lie somewhere between the lower Mississippi Valley and the Ozarks region, an area that today spans four different states and is famous for its calm waters.
At the time, this craft was defined by Charles Hallock, editor of Field and Stream, as "a flat-bottomed boat for navigating shallow waters and capable of carrying a fisherman or hunter, equipment and his dog."
Somewhere between the Mississippi and the Ozarks
Thanks to the purity of its waters, the Ozark region was long considered a perfect vacation destination for urban Americans who came to fish, duck hunt or simply enjoy the fresh air. Over time, the abundance of fish increased interest in fishing, and thus the popularity of the Jon boat. Jon boats were then used to transport tourists and to go fishing on the region's waterways. Over time, the name even became "Jon boat (or johnboat) of the Ozark".
Initially, these were fairly primitive boats that leaked. To compensate for this, some owners immersed their boats when not in use to swell the wood and make them more watertight. Another feature was to light a wood fire in the middle of the boat, or torches for night fishing.
Another activity associated with Jon boats was freshwater mussel fishing, which began on a commercial basis between 1890 and 1900 and also popularized the boat.
Over time, boats were modernized, wood giving way to metal, then aluminum, fiberglass or polypropylene. Hulls, while remaining flat, or nearly so, have improved, and the interiors of some models now incorporate equipment, even if the idea is always to keep the boat as simple as possible.
