More than Just a River

“And the Ohio River can still cause one to ‘pause’, ‘wonder’, and ‘scarcely believe in its reality’” (11).

The Book

The River Book: Cincinnati and the Ohio makes a bold, yet seemingly accurate claim “Without the Ohio River, there would be no Cincinnati community” (6). The rest of the book regales the reader with reasons why this is an accurate claim: travel, economy, goods and livestock, entertainment, and leisure. The early settlers of Cincinnati were dependent on the river and today’s citizens are no different, although the reasons might have changed.

Each chapter is written by a different contributor with a unique connection to the Ohio River: from employees on a riverboat to lifelong residents. This collection of chapters explains the importance, value, and history of the river. Readers will read of pirates and outlaws, the steamboat industry, energy and power, dam and lock systems, and floods to name a few. One chapter, I found particularly interesting, focused on the nine bridges that cross the Ohio River. Area residents originally believed that the river was too wide for a bridge to span. However, in 1862 a pontoon bridge was created to help with the defense of Cincinnati during the Civil War. In 1866, after ten years of construction, the first official bridge opened: Roebling Suspension Bridge. Today, it is fascinating to see so many bridges (for cars, railways, and pedestrians) in a short span of space.

The River Book is well-written and easy to follow. There was some overlap between chapters, which would make the book ideal for a coffee table. Throughout the chapters are photos and drawings that depict the river, city, and watercraft throughout history. It would be interesting to create an updated edition (this was printed in 1981) to provide a look at the changes since publication. The authors cover pretty much every facet a reader could think of and provide a good introduction into the significance of one of the major parts of American geography.

The Place
The Ohio River truly is an impressive sight to see. It is 981 miles long, with Cincinnati being close to the middle. On one end is Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and on the other end is the Mississippi River, passing through six states. Despite the evidence of modern technology and buildings, it is still possible to close your eyes and imagine a bustling riverfront full of steamboats, passengers, and livestock or goods.

One way to recapture that image is to take a Riverboat cruise with BB Riverboats. There are a variety of cruises to choose from, but I would recommend the Historic Cincinnati Sightseeing Cruise. This cruise provides insight into the history of Cincinnati and takes passengers west to the Roebling Suspension Bridge and then east beyond Mt. Adams. There is nothing quite like floating under numerous bridges and feeling the breeze as you take in the view. The river cruises do require a reservation and are available most days of the week.