The Meeting of the Rivers

Long known to the Indian who used the two great rivers as his highways for trade and war, this junction of the Ohio and the Mississippi was first sighted by Europeans when Marquette and Joliet glided past in 1673. Ten ...

The Republican River Flood Of 1935

On May 30, 1935, torrential rains fell in eastern Colorado and southwestern Nebraska; by early morning of the 31st, the usually peaceful Republican River was running bluff-to-bluff along its upper reaches. When the waters subsided two days later, over 100 ...

Enjoying the River

The Mississippi River has been a source of recreation for many generations. People have long enjoyed its beauty and marveled at its power.

This is more true than ever today. Boating, hiking, and bird watching all draw people to the river. ...

Shaping the River

The natural river above Hastings was treacherous for steamboats, with a depth that reached only three and one-half feet in some places. The first efforts of the federal government to improve navigation of the river were wing dams (piles of ...

Architectural Gems on the Riverfront

The Milwaukee County Historical Society (5 above) was built in 1913 to house the Second Ward Savings Bank. The triangular Beaux Arts limestone building is notable for its arched windows, Ionic columns and carved decorations.

Milwaukee City Hall (6 ...

Navigation and Shipbuilding On The Black Warrior River

Navigation improvements to the Black Warrior River (1888-1895) spurred marine commerce throughout the 20th century. Local ship-builders included the Perkins Brothers, Herman & Son, Corp of Engineers Boatyard, and Baker Towboat. Vessel types included barges, government workboats and towboats. Some ...

The Black Warrior River

Plied for thousands of years by Indians, then by early explorers and American settlers, this river extends 169 miles from the Sipsey and Mulberry Forks near Birmingham to its confluence with the Tombigbee at Demopolis. It drains 6228 square miles ...

The Wolf River Crossing

Before reaching the Iowa, Sac and Fox Mission wagon trains crossed the Wolf River. Travelers often encountered members of local Indian nations. Native Americans thought that some payment should be made to them for the use of their land. Travelers ...

Forks of The River Cemetery Park

Established in 1976 as a community bicentennial project, this park is significant because it is both the final resting place for several early settlers and decision makers and it is one of the last undeveloped areas that was part of ...

Control the Rivers and Railroads

During the Civil War rivers and railroads routinely carried soldiers, material, and food to keep the war effort going. The Tennessee and Cumberland rivers were the main arteries that carried the economic lifeblood to the heart of middle Tennessee. Most ...