Proceeding on.
Ironton. My interest in Ironton is the role Capt Thomas S Calhoon and his steamer, Katie Stockdale, played in the delivery of Ohio River relief between Pittsburgh and Ironton after the Flood of 1884. Details of the relief effort are found in The Mercy Mission.
Ironton was founded in 1849 by John Campbell, a noted pig iron manufacturer. Until the nearby iron reserves played out and the demand for steel replaced iron, immense wealth was generated. Many fine residences were built. Unfortunately the floods of 1917 and 1937 plus the Great Depression devastated the city.
Today, I was pleasantly surprised by the buzz in Ironton. It by far is the most vibrant river town I have passed through. Its community leaders are obviously implementing good policies. It was pouring so I did not get out of my car nor did I talk to anyone. Like Pt Pleasant, Ironton has a wall between the river and town. It also has a railroad track and station along the river.
Lawrenceburg. In 1865 a cub pilot aged nineteen on the sidewheeler CT Dumont made two important trips to Lawrenceburg, IN from Parkersburg, WV. The occasion the return of Union Soldiers from the Civil War battlefields. The cub pilot was George WE Poe, the son of Jacob Poe.
Like many of the other river towns, Lawrenceburg is 200 years old with an appealing main street missed by most highway travelers because of the by-pass. Early in its history, Lawrenceburg was notorious from Pittsburgh to New Orleans for its sin and vice. After the advent of steamboat commerce, its “Gamblers Row” grew quickly.
Today Lawrenceburg was surprisingly busy. Nice main street leading to the “Watch Walk” which is a stone levee and park. Nice when the weather and river stage permit.
Vevay. The “Life on the Ohio River” Historical Museum in Vevay, IN was a fun stop. Its primary connections to Georgetown, PA is the Billy Bryant Showboat and the str CT Dumont. The Bryants were always guests of Charley Poe when they landed in Georgetown. In fact the friendship was so strong Billy Bryant dedicated a chapter in his book to Charley Poe who he described as “one of the most fascinating River characters we have ever met”. At age nineteen while learning the river between Pittsburgh and Louisville, George WE Poe was a cub pilot on the CT Dumont which ferried two crammed loads of returning Civil War soldiers to Lawrenceburg in April 1865. Charley Poe and George WE Poe were brothers.
Vevay is a now stilled community of simple businesses and beautiful homes. It has a wonderful park along its waterfront. Founded in 1802 by Swiss immigrants, Vevay claims to be the home of the first commercial winery in the US. Today there is no significant industry to the best of my knowledge.
Tags: capt thomas s calhoon, charley poe, civil war transports, george we poe, jacob poe, katie stockdale