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Know Ohio: The Ohio River

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED ABOUT THE ROLE THE OHIO RIVER PLAYED IN 'OUR' STATE'S HISTORY? FOR THIS WEEK'S KNOW OHIO, WE HEAD SOUTH OF THE BORDER.

THE OHIO RIVER FLOWS THROUGH OR BORDERS 'SIX' STATES INCLUDING OF COURSE, OHIO. INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, OHIO DOESN'T OWN THE RIVER EVEN THOUGH IT'S NAME WOULD LEAD YOU TO BELIEVE OTHERWISE. THE GOVERNMENT DETERMINED THAT KENTUCKY AND WEST VIRGINIA OWN THE AREAS WHERE OHIO TRIED TO CLAIM OWNERSHIP.

BEGINNING IN PENNSYLVANIA AND ENDING 900 MILES WEST WHERE IT FLOWS INTO THE MISSISSIPPI, THE OHIO RIVER GETS IT'S ENGLISH NAME FROM THE IROQUOIS TRIBE.

DURING THE 1700s, THE RIVER SERVED AS A DIVIDING LINE BETWEEN ENGLISH SETTLEMENTS IN KENTUCKY AND NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITIES UNTIL THE END OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.

THE RIVER'S BIGGEST ROLE MAY HAVE BEEN IN TRANSPORTATION. THE NATIVE AMERICANS USED IT AS A TRADING ROUTE AND IT HELPED SETTLERS IN THEIR EXPANSION TO THE WEST.

SEVERAL TOWNS ALONG THE RIVER'S BANKS, INCLUDING MARIETTA AND CINCINNATI, WERE SOME OF THE FIRST PERMANENT SETTLEMENTS IN THE NEWLY FORMED UNITED STATES.

LATER ON IN THE 1800s, THE OHIO RIVER SERVED AS AN IMPORTANT ROUTE FOR FARMERS AND MANUFACTURERS FOR THE TRANSPORTATION OF CROPS AND GOODS USING FLATBOATS AND BARGES.

DESPITE TRAVEL AND SHIPPING INNOVATIONS, THE RIVER CONTINUES TO BE A KEY ROUTE FOR TRANSPORTING BULK ITEMS LIKE COAL AND GRAIN.

stephanie.jarvis@ideastream.org | 216-916-6340