How did the cuyahoga river in cleveland, ohio, help. 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. Well, technically, oil and debris floating on the surface of the water caught fire the river. 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. President richard nixon announces environmental program. The fable of the burning river, 45 years later the. 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. This week marks the 50th anniversary of the cuyahoga river fire. The fire of 1969 sparked an environmental movement. Source special collections, michael schwartz library at cleveland state university from the cuyahoga river fires, accidents collection. Cuyahoga, possibly meaning crooked water, was the name given by the iroquois indians to the river. Nature and mankind have worked separately or together. Our hydrologic monitoring stations continue to send data in near realtime to nwisweb, and we are continuing critical water monitoring activities to.
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. This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title river fire. The cuyahoga river upper study area includes the main stem and major tributaries from the headwaters to the lake rockwell dam. Short documentary about cuyahoga river fires produced by csu digital humanities. The cuyahoga flows for 100 miles, through the cities of akron and cleveland before emptying into lake erie. That act grew out of the 1969 burning of the cuyahoga river. When the oozing cuyahoga river caught fire in 1969, it may not have even made the top 10 list of cleveland river fires. Water act inspired by cuyahoga river burning wewstv. In part three of our water series, well explore the shocking tale of the cuyahoga river.
The fire took on mythic status, and errors of fact became unimportant to the. 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. However, cleveland continued production which when paired. The river caught fire when a flame came in contact with the heavilypolluted and toxic chemicals which were being dumped into the waterway. In his excellent book the really inconvenient truths, ceis iain murray shows how government intervention actually caused the infamous cuyahoga fire. Cuyahoga river in ohio, a river famous for catching fire in 1969. Water quality akron will remove its combined sewer overflows. The cuyahoga river runs both south and north through the city and the cuyahoga falls, which extend for about two miles, fell farther than niagara falls.
The environmental protection agency was created and legislators passed pollution control and cleanup laws. The cuyahoga river was once one of the most polluted rivers in the united states. In 1969, the cuyahoga became a stark symbol of water pollution when oil slicks on the rivers surface caught fire. The cuyahoga river drains 8 square miles of geauga, portage, summit and cuyahoga counties. Ohios burning river in better health 40 years later.
The 2 sources, forming the east and west branches of the river, are 35 mi. The cuyahoga river cuyahoga valley national park u. Myths surrounding cuyahoga river fire 35 years ago case western reserve university. On june 22, 1969, the cuyahoga river in cleveland caught fire. On june 22, 1969, a train passing over a trestle in cleveland created a spark that caused a fire on the cuyahoga river.
But life along the southern turn of the river had been going on long before that. How the cuyahoga river fire saved the world the city. Some surveyers had stayed when cleaveland went back east, and new families and townships grew along the river and throughout the region. The fire attracted national media attention, and helped prompt the passage of federal environmental laws. 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.
The fire, which witnesses reported reached as high as 5 stories, began at 12 p. Tim donovan recalls working on the cuyahoga river the day that it caught fire in 1969. The cuyahoga river caught fire at least a dozen times, but. Well look at how pollution led to this environmental tragedy and whats been done to address the problem. 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 this day, june 22, in 1969, the cuyahoga river burst into flames in cleveland when sparks from a passing train set fire to oil. The ushaped river flows both south and north over its 100mile course which ends at lake erie just 30 miles from its headwaters. Separating fact from fiction about the cuyahoga river fire.
Fire in the cuyahoga river with a firefighter boat blasting water. Stories about the 1969 cuyahoga river fire often combine fact and myth. 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. It was the summer of 1969 and the cuyahoga river was burning. As the 1960s came to an end, so did the countrys reliance on industrialized manufacturing.
I t was the disaster that ignited an environmental revolution. The cuyahoga river divides the east and west sides of cleveland. Three reservoirs dominate the land use in the region. Surveyors mapping the western reserve platted the area in 1797, and settlers from connecticut soon followed. And it was one of those key waterways, the cuyahoga river, that caught fire nearly five decades ago, making cleveland and. The cuyahoga river upper basin is located in geauga and portage counties. The river quickly fell victim to severe pollution, degrading the water quality and guaranteeing that no life could survive in the thick, murky water. A river on fire was a symbol of earth in need of repair, and federal regulation was the reparative tool of choice. The river became a dead river, meaning it had no oxygen in it.
Cuyahoga river fire, 1948 cleveland press collection. On june 22, 1969, clevelands cuyahoga river caught fire. 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. Pollution of the cuyahoga river causes water fires. Cleveland, oh was once known as a major industrial center within the united states. Myths surrounding cuyahoga river fire 35 years ago. The cuyahoga rivers sad state sparked the modern environmental movement in america. Cuyahoga river fires of 1868, 1912, 1936, 1952, 1969 far. Start with the famous image published by time magazine. But when the cuyahoga river caught fire in cleveland in 1969, many believe it became the symbol of outofcontrol pollution that. 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. Cuyahoga river fire encyclopedia of cleveland history. The picture below provided by the plain dealer is just one of the many reminders that made cleveland the laughing stock of the country.
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. Biological and water quality study of the cuyahoga river. But thanks to local advocacy and federal action, it led one year later to creation of the u. A series of articles exploring historical events that provide an important lesson for ensuring a more sustainable and healthy environment. Usgs current conditions for usgs 04208000 cuyahoga river. There were at least fires on the cuyahoga river, the first occurring in 1868. File permissions for use of this photograph available here. 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. 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. Special 56m 59s in this conversation with david stradling, ph.
To link to this object, paste this link in email, im or document to embed this object, paste this html in website. This picture and others created a demand for action. Despite being much smaller than previous fires, the river blaze in cleveland 50. Just one of over a dozen fires on the cuyahoga river, the 1969 blaze was. Cuyahoga river encyclopedia of cleveland history case. On june 22, 1969, just before noon, an oil slick and assorted debris under a railroad trestle on the cuyahoga river caught fire. The june 22, 1969, fire was not much of a fire at all. 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. The skyline of cleveland, ohio on the cuyahoga river. When in fact the river was getting cleaner and it had burned many times before.
But the famous photograph that appeared in time was not of the cuyahoga river fire of 1969. Wfn green examines the 40plus years of clean up the has been done on the cuyahoga river since the river caught on fire. The myth of the cuyahoga river fire science history institute. Clevelandonce upon a time, june 22, 1969, a river started on fire. Over the last ten years, akron has assembled a plan for addressing the cso problem.
In 1969, a passing rail car created a spark that would ignite more than just a fire on the cuyahoga river. Many might still remember back in 1969 when the cuyahoga river caught on fire because of the high level of toxic pollution in it. How a burning river helped create the clean water act. Cuyahoga county, oh fire departments the cuyahoga county, oh fire department directory includes 92 fire departments and fire stations. Also in 1837, the cuyahoga falls fire department was formed as a volunteer unit and remained volunteer until 1927. River fires were quite common in the late 19th and earlyto. The cuyahoga river caught fire at least a dozen times, but no. Courtesy of cleveland press collection at cleveland state university library. It originates in springs in the highlands of geauga county, in the adjoining townships of hambden and montville. Thanks to decades of cleanup work, the cuyahoga river is on the mend. The cuyahoga river in cleveland, ohio, helped promote the environmental movement because pollutants on its surface caught fire and attracted media attention. New video by ohio epa shows how far the river has come, and how it came so far. The cuyahoga river, located in northeast ohio in the united states, is infamous for having once caught fire.
Factchecking five myths of the 1969 fire on the cuyahoga river. There was so much oil in the river that it became very flammable. Originally published as a bulletin feature for the newsletter of chewa collaborative on health and the. Description of the cuyahoga river in northeastern ohio, including its history, famous fire, references in song, and the cuyahoga valley national park. The 1969 fire, however, coming at a time of emerging national concern over pollution, made big news and became something of a famous disaster. Clean water act of 1972 grew from the1969 burning of the cuyahoga river in cleveland duration. 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. The cuyahoga river fire 22 june 1969 dramatized the extent of the rivers pollution and the ineffectiveness of the citys lagging pollution abatement program. Before the turn of the century it was thought that a dirty river was sign of prosperity. 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. In fact, the cuyahoga had caught fire on at least a dozen occasions since 1868. In fact, it was at least the th time the cuyahoga river had caught fire since the 1860s. Fires erupted on the river several more times before june 22, 1969. 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.
William wetmore founded the settlement of manchester on the cuyahoga river. The fire even helped inspire the first earth day in 1970. To learn more about the cuyahoga river fire, visit. Mendocino complex fire, a californian wildfire that consisted of the smaller fires, the river fire and the ranch fire. This fact is indispensible to centralplanners and the enemies of industry. In 1969, the cuyahoga river hit rock bottom with the infamous fire. By the turn into the 18th century, the cuyahoga river had become the official western boundary of the new united states of america. So how did a river in ohio suddenly catch fire, not once, but several times last century. The river supports one of the most densely populated and industrialized urban areas in america. 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. In late june 1969, the cuyahoga river in cleveland, ohio caught fire a river long polluted with oily wastes, chemicals, and debris. More importantly, it was not the first river fire, on the cuyahoga or elsewhere. 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.