Ohio River Images: Cincinnati to Louisville in the Packet Boat Era (Images of America Series)

into the past of this area, and its extensive river heritage. A Sunday cruise down the Ohio River was always enjoyable, but traveling the waters was not always easy. Spring flooding reached far inland, disrupting households and businesses. Pilots' navigational skills were challenged by swiftly-moving water filled with floating debris. Ice wreaked havoc on boats and shore facilities in the winter. Low water in the summer often stopped navigation completely. But the boats were too important to let such difficulties stand in their way. They endured and served the area faithfully until hard economic times and a new reliance on trucks and automobiles ended the packet trade in the early 1930s.

What was it like to live, work, play, and travel along the Ohio River in the early part of the twentieth century? What was the look and feel of the towns and villages that lined its banks in the days before private cars and highways? From 1900 to 1930, the Ohio River was the most economical and reliable mode of transporting goods and people from Cincinnati, Ohio, to Louisville, Kentucky, and to the dozens of towns that lay between. This fascinating pictorial history gives readers a glimpse into the past of this area, and its extensive river heritage. A Sunday cruise down the Ohio River was always enjoyable, but traveling the waters was not always easy. Spring flooding reached far inland, disrupting households and businesses. Pilots' navigational skills were challenged by swiftly-moving water filled with floating debris. Ice wreaked havoc on boats and shore facilities in the winter. Low water in the summer often stopped navigation completely. But the boats were too important to let such difficulties stand in their way. They endured and served the area faithfully until hard economic times and a new reliance on trucks and automobiles ended the packet trade in the early 1930s.

Today, only a few excursion boats can offer an approximation of what it was like to travel on the Ohio River when it was still a major shipping and transportation route. Author Russell G. Ryle is a river enthusiast and the proud owner of these vintage images. He grew up listening to the stories told by those who lived when the steam whistles of the packet boats blew regularly, announcing their landing at towns along the way. Please join us for this engaging cruise through the waters of yesterday.