The Tragedy of the Cuyahoga River Fire in 1969
BISC003
26 April 2013
Cuyahoga River Fire
When you think of an object being caught on fire, what is the first thing that comes to mind in order to put it out? If you guessed water, you would be right. However, what happens when the tables turn and the water itself in fact becomes the object to ignite? The Cuyahoga River is a prime example of this action. Named after the Iroquoian tribes whom once occupied the area, this winding river runs 84.9 miles throughout northeast Ohio and empties into Lake Erie. Running through the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, it has become recognized as an America Heritage River by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. In 1969, tragedy struck when pollution levels rose dangerously high, causing the Cuyahoga River catch on fire. Though it was historically a disastrous event, this fire helped bring about awareness of environmental pollution and eventually led to the creation and passage of the Clean Water Act of 1972.
Running through the city of Cleveland and other neighboring towns, the Cuyahoga once filled these cities with not only clean water but also a tremendous view. It was beautiful place to be. However, when industrialization took hold in the late 1800’s and early- to mid-1900’s, the Cuyahoga River soon became the dumping ground for waste materials and debris created by the factories, steel mills, and other businesses that built up along the banks of the river.
Over the years, the river became polluted with oils and other industrial by-products. Due to the flammable materials floating in the river’s waters, many fires occurred on the river. Some of these fires caused loss of life and some caused extensive damage resulting in millions of dollars of expense to Cleveland and the surrounding cities. But the Industrial Revolution was in full swing and importance was placed on industrial production and the prosperity brought about by the successful growth of business. The city of Cleveland was booming in the oil and
26 April 2013
Cuyahoga River Fire
When you think of an object being caught on fire, what is the first thing that comes to mind in order to put it out? If you guessed water, you would be right. However, what happens when the tables turn and the water itself in fact becomes the object to ignite? The Cuyahoga River is a prime example of this action. Named after the Iroquoian tribes whom once occupied the area, this winding river runs 84.9 miles throughout northeast Ohio and empties into Lake Erie. Running through the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, it has become recognized as an America Heritage River by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. In 1969, tragedy struck when pollution levels rose dangerously high, causing the Cuyahoga River catch on fire. Though it was historically a disastrous event, this fire helped bring about awareness of environmental pollution and eventually led to the creation and passage of the Clean Water Act of 1972.
Running through the city of Cleveland and other neighboring towns, the Cuyahoga once filled these cities with not only clean water but also a tremendous view. It was beautiful place to be. However, when industrialization took hold in the late 1800’s and early- to mid-1900’s, the Cuyahoga River soon became the dumping ground for waste materials and debris created by the factories, steel mills, and other businesses that built up along the banks of the river.
Over the years, the river became polluted with oils and other industrial by-products. Due to the flammable materials floating in the river’s waters, many fires occurred on the river. Some of these fires caused loss of life and some caused extensive damage resulting in millions of dollars of expense to Cleveland and the surrounding cities. But the Industrial Revolution was in full swing and importance was placed on industrial production and the prosperity brought about by the successful growth of business. The city of Cleveland was booming in the oil and