On this day, june 22, in 1969, the cuyahoga river burst into flames in cleveland when sparks from a passing train set fire to oil. By the turn into the 18th century, the cuyahoga river had become the official western boundary of the new united states of america. President richard nixon announces environmental program. In fact, it was at least the th time the cuyahoga river had caught fire since the 1860s.
The june 22, 1969, fire was not much of a fire at all. River fires were quite common in the late 19th and earlyto. The cuyahoga flows for 100 miles, through the cities of akron and cleveland before emptying into lake erie. William wetmore founded the settlement of manchester on the cuyahoga river. In part three of our water series, well explore the shocking tale of the cuyahoga river. The environmental protection agency was created and legislators passed pollution control and cleanup laws. I t was the disaster that ignited an environmental revolution. The myth of the cuyahoga river fire science history institute. The fire took on mythic status, and errors of fact became unimportant to the. Myths surrounding cuyahoga river fire 35 years ago. New video by ohio epa shows how far the river has come, and how it came so far. Before the turn of the century it was thought that a dirty river was sign of prosperity.
File permissions for use of this photograph available here. With several types of wet areas like marshes, ponds and wetlands, its an area of nature which is able to support thousands of species of animals and plants. In his excellent book the really inconvenient truths, ceis iain murray shows how government intervention actually caused the infamous cuyahoga fire. The fire even helped inspire the first earth day in 1970. The cuyahoga river caught fire at least a dozen times, but no one cared until 1969 despite being much smaller than previous fires, the river blaze in cleveland 50 years ago became a symbol for the. Combined sewer overflows, which allow raw sewage to be released directly to the river following a heavy rain, have been a continuing problem for the cuyahoga. Fire in the cuyahoga river with a firefighter boat blasting water.
Over the last ten years, akron has assembled a plan for addressing the cso problem. The skyline of cleveland, ohio on the cuyahoga river. How a burning river helped create the clean water act. There was so much oil in the river that it became very flammable. The fire of 1969 sparked an environmental movement. As cleveland emerged as a major center for manufacturing, the river became heavily affected by industrial pollution, so much so that it caught fire at.
The cuyahoga river fire of 1969 helped galvanize the clean water and environmental movements even though it wasnt the worst fire the polluted river had seen. It originates in springs in the highlands of geauga county, in the adjoining townships of hambden and montville. Just one of over a dozen fires on the cuyahoga river, the 1969 blaze was. Thanks to decades of cleanup work, the cuyahoga river is on the mend. Cuyahoga river fires of 1868, 1912, 1936, 1952, 1969 far. This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title river fire. The fire, which witnesses reported reached as high as 5 stories, began at 12 p. A series of articles exploring historical events that provide an important lesson for ensuring a more sustainable and healthy environment. Ohios burning river in better health 40 years later forty years ago, ohios cuyahoga river, which had been compared to an open septic tank, caught fire. The river became a dead river, meaning it had no oxygen in it. Many might still remember back in 1969 when the cuyahoga river caught on fire because of the high level of toxic pollution in it. Fires erupted on the river several more times before june 22, 1969. The cuyahoga river was once one of the most polluted rivers in the united states. The story of the cuyahoga river fire of 1969 the event that sparked pop songs, lit the imagination of an entire nation, and badly tarnished a citys reputation is built more on myths than reality.
Our hydrologic monitoring stations continue to send data in near realtime to nwisweb, and we are continuing critical water monitoring activities to. On june 22, 1969, just before noon, an oil slick and assorted debris under a railroad trestle on the cuyahoga river caught fire. But thanks to local advocacy and federal action, it led one year later to creation of the u. The river was called a rainbow of many different colors.
Cuyahoga river in ohio, a river famous for catching fire in 1969. The 1969 fire, however, coming at a time of emerging national concern over pollution, made big news and became something of a famous disaster. Surveyors mapping the western reserve platted the area in 1797, and settlers from connecticut soon followed. More importantly, it was not the first river fire, on the cuyahoga or elsewhere.
That act grew out of the 1969 burning of the cuyahoga river. The picture below provided by the plain dealer is just one of the many reminders that made cleveland the laughing stock of the country. Three reservoirs dominate the land use in the region. Special 56m 59s in this conversation with david stradling, ph. And it was one of those key waterways, the cuyahoga river, that caught fire nearly five decades ago, making cleveland and. Cuyahoga, possibly meaning crooked water, was the name given by the iroquois indians to the river. Source special collections, michael schwartz library at cleveland state university from the cuyahoga river fires, accidents collection. Cleveland had been a major industrial city since the 1880s, and the mayor then called the river an open sewer through the center of the city. How the cuyahoga river fire saved the world the city. Also in 1837, the cuyahoga falls fire department was formed as a volunteer unit and remained volunteer until 1927. Wfn green examines the 40plus years of clean up the has been done on the cuyahoga river since the river caught on fire.
The fable of the burning river, 45 years later the. This fact is indispensible to centralplanners and the enemies of industry. It was the summer of 1969 and the cuyahoga river was burning. Mendocino complex fire, a californian wildfire that consisted of the smaller fires, the river fire and the ranch fire. Separating fact from fiction about the cuyahoga river fire. Tim donovan recalls working on the cuyahoga river the day that it caught fire in 1969. The 2 sources, forming the east and west branches of the river, are 35 mi.
A river on fire was a symbol of earth in need of repair, and federal regulation was the reparative tool of choice. The cuyahoga river, located in northeast ohio in the united states, is infamous for having once caught fire. The cuyahoga river caught fire at least a dozen times, but. When in fact the river was getting cleaner and it had burned many times before. Cuyahoga river encyclopedia of cleveland history case. The cuyahoga river divides the east and west sides of cleveland. Nature and mankind have worked separately or together.
The ushaped river flows both south and north over its 100mile course which ends at lake erie just 30 miles from its headwaters. There were at least fires on the cuyahoga river, the first occurring in 1868. Well look at how pollution led to this environmental tragedy and whats been done to address the problem. Description of the cuyahoga river in northeastern ohio, including its history, famous fire, references in song, and the cuyahoga valley national park. The cuyahoga river in cleveland, located in the half west of the united states was one of the most polluted rivers in the united states. On june 22, 1969, clevelands cuyahoga river caught fire. But life along the southern turn of the river had been going on long before that. The fire attracted national media attention, and helped prompt the passage of federal environmental laws. One of the most notoriously polluted rivers in the history of the united states was the cuyahoga river, located alongside the booming industrial city of cleveland, ohio. The cuyahoga river upper basin is located in geauga and portage counties. Clevelandonce upon a time, june 22, 1969, a river started on fire.
Usgs current conditions for usgs 04208000 cuyahoga river. Clean water act of 1972 grew from the1969 burning of the cuyahoga river in cleveland duration. Cuyahoga county, oh fire departments the cuyahoga county, oh fire department directory includes 92 fire departments and fire stations. Despite being much smaller than previous fires, the river blaze in cleveland 50. Water quality akron will remove its combined sewer overflows. To link to this object, paste this link in email, im or document to embed this object, paste this html in website. How did the cuyahoga river in cleveland, ohio, help.
The river quickly fell victim to severe pollution, degrading the water quality and guaranteeing that no life could survive in the thick, murky water. So how did a river in ohio suddenly catch fire, not once, but several times last century. Some surveyers had stayed when cleaveland went back east, and new families and townships grew along the river and throughout the region. Cuyahoga river fire encyclopedia of cleveland history.
Cleveland, oh was once known as a major industrial center within the united states. Start with the famous image published by time magazine. On june 22, 1969, the cuyahoga river in cleveland caught fire. But when the cuyahoga river caught fire in cleveland in 1969, many believe it became the symbol of outofcontrol pollution that. When the oozing cuyahoga river caught fire in 1969, it may not have even made the top 10 list of cleveland river fires. Being a convenient dumping ground for factory waste, the cuyahoga was so polluted by 1969 that the sewage in the water had caught fire an astonishing separate times. Stories about the 1969 cuyahoga river fire often combine fact and myth.
As the 1960s came to an end, so did the countrys reliance on industrialized manufacturing. The cuyahoga river caught fire at least a dozen times, but no. Myths surrounding cuyahoga river fire 35 years ago case western reserve university. Pollution of the cuyahoga river causes water fires. On june 22, 1969, the cuyahoga river near downtown cleveland, ohio caught fire, sparking a story in time magazine and becoming the symbol for the ecology movement. In 1969, a passing rail car created a spark that would ignite more than just a fire on the cuyahoga river. The cuyahoga river cuyahoga valley national park u.
Notice the usgs water resources mission areas priority is to maintain the safety and wellbeing of our communities, including providing critical situational awareness in times of flooding in all 50 u. In 1969, the cuyahoga river hit rock bottom with the infamous fire. The cuyahoga river drains 8 square miles of geauga, portage, summit and cuyahoga counties. From a burning river to a recreation destination, the cuyahoga used to be the poster river for degradation, and is now a shining example of restoration. Mas1997124 cuyahoga river basin tsd august 15, 1999 biological and water quality study of the cuyahoga river and selected tributaries geauga, portage, summit and cuyahoga counties, ohio august 15, 1999 oepa technical report mas1997124 volume 1 prepared by state of ohio environmental protection agency division of surface water. Factchecking five myths of the 1969 fire on the cuyahoga river.
To learn more about the cuyahoga river fire, visit. The cuyahoga river fire 22 june 1969 dramatized the extent of the rivers pollution and the ineffectiveness of the citys lagging pollution abatement program. Well, technically, oil and debris floating on the surface of the water caught fire the river. Biological and water quality study of the cuyahoga river. Water act inspired by cuyahoga river burning wewstv. Browse 649 cuyahoga river stock photos and images available, or search for river on fire or lake erie to find more great stock photos and pictures. This picture and others created a demand for action. The river caught fire when a flame came in contact with the heavilypolluted and toxic chemicals which were being dumped into the waterway. The cuyahoga river in cleveland, ohio, helped promote the environmental movement because pollutants on its surface caught fire and attracted media attention. Courtesy of cleveland press collection at cleveland state university library. In 1969, the cuyahoga became a stark symbol of water pollution when oil slicks on the rivers surface caught fire. The cuyahoga river area of concern restoration plan and actions are geared toward removal or remediation of beneficial use impairments buis that either restrict uses of the waterways and lake erie like not being able to swim at beaches or present obstacles to healthy fish populations like dams or lack of habitat or degrade water quality.
Yes, an oil slick on the cuyahoga river polluted from decades of industrial waste caught fire on a sunday morning in june 1969 near the republic steel mill. But the famous photograph that appeared in time was not of the cuyahoga river fire of 1969. Short documentary about cuyahoga river fires produced by csu digital humanities. The cuyahoga rivers sad state sparked the modern environmental movement in america. Ohios burning river in better health 40 years later. In fact, the cuyahoga had caught fire on at least a dozen occasions since 1868. The problem with the story of the 1969 cuyahoga river fire is that so much of what we think we know about this story just is not so. The cuyahoga river upper study area includes the main stem and major tributaries from the headwaters to the lake rockwell dam. Cuyahoga river fire, 1948 cleveland press collection. The river supports one of the most densely populated and industrialized urban areas in america.
198 949 563 231 920 326 218 620 528 850 1005 468 495 924 1160 937 1263 221 389 1068 1495 1236 655 751 739 896 1125 645 409 85 1265