The scene depicts a bustling 19th-century view of the Mississippi River during a golden sunset. The composition is anchored on the left by a large, ornate steamboat named 'Express', docked near a lush riverbank shaded by sweeping, moss-draped oak trees. In the foreground, a group of men in hats and period clothing are gathered on a flat, wooden cargo barge, with long oars extending from the sides.
Moving toward the center and right, the river is filled with multiple classic paddle-wheel steamboats traveling along the waterway. The distant shoreline is dotted with small white buildings and gentle hills, while the horizon glows with the warmth of a sinking sun. The sky transitions from a deep, atmospheric amber near the horizon to a lighter, hazy yellow above, casting a soft, golden reflection across the surface of the river.
The artwork is rendered in the detailed, romanticized style of a Currier & Ives lithograph. The colour palette is dominated by rich earth tones, sepia, oranges, and deep browns, evoking a sense of nostalgia and history. The text 'THE MISSISSIPPI IN TIME OF PEACE' is printed in small, elegant letters along the bottom border of the image, framing the scene as a pastoral historical tableau.