River Brought First People to Crittenden

Rivers and Paddle Wheeler From Yesteryear

The following recollection was told to Bob M. Wheeler by his father, Floyd Clark Wheeler as they went on boating trips on the Ohio when Mr. Wheeler was game warden for the county.

 

Before Navigational Dams 50 and 51 and the dikes on the Ohio were constructed, the current of the Ohio bounced off Battery Rock on the Illinois bank, then swung southwest to the Kentucky bank where the Tradewater added to its onward rush.

 

The residue from the two rivers formed a large earth and rock bar on the Illinois side opposite what was to become Weston. This bar extended down river in sandbars with the end being at the present Dam 50 site.

 

This bar forced the river into a narrow canal-like channel that hugged the Kentucky bank until the waters from Camp Creek merged with the Ohio. It then bounced off Cottonpatch Hill and slowly swung northwest to hug the Illinois bank past the Cave-In-Rock bluff. This formed a natural crossing place for larger grazing animals on there way to the Saline River Valley salt licks in southern Illinois.

 

Down from Cave In Rock was the formation of huge sand bars, which later became McKinley Island. The river then bounced off the Tower Rock out-jutting to slant southwest thru the narrow channel between the McKinley bars and the head bar of Hurricane Island. This passage was the one feared most by captains of mercantile flatboats. They would even hire local pilots at Cave In Rock to maneuver their boats through the rough passage.

 

At Hurricane Island, the Ohio struck the Kentucky bank a little above what is now called Hurricane Creek. The creek added more swift water to the river's flow. It was just below the mouth of Hurricane Creek that a Revolutionary War pensioner of Virginia, Robert Kirk, set up a flatboat dock on his land grant. The site was very near today's equipment transfer point from the Tolu Landing to Hurricane Island. It became knows as Kirksville and it was the only dock marked in what is now Crittenden County on the early Ohio River navigational charts.

 

Below Kirksville, the Ohio channel rushed down on the south side of Hurricane Island, (the opposite of today's flow which resulted by the constructional of navigational dams), and curved its way around the west tip of the island, before taking a northwestward turn to bounce off the Illinois side below Elizabethtown.

 

It would have been extremely difficult for the first pioneers of Crittenden County to land and dock these flatboats, which contained fragile household and farming equipment of the early years, without expert piloting. The supplying of the settlers who had pioneered what was to be Crittenden County was done overland, and soon became a profitable market to many advanced-type commercial flatboats. So enterprising pioneers like Robert Kirk and George Flynn at Weston took advantage of ownership of natural harbors to provide docks for this trade.

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After reading and learning about some of the early history of the the Ohio River let's recall some of the wonderful and nostalgic, steamboats that plied these rough and rowdy waters of long ago.

 

Of the early steamboat captains and boat owners, few names rated higher than the names of Judge Wiley Fowler's sons. Famous boats bore their names: the Joe Fowler, the Gus Fowler, and the Dick Fowler. 

 

The Joe Fowler was named for Captain Joseph Fowler and was the most popular packet on the river. She made regular trips with passengers and freight from Louisville to Pittsburgh and she was always in demand for Madri Gras season for the trip to New Orleans. The Joe Fowler was the fastest stern-wheeler on western waters. The shanty boat dwellers dreaded to see her coming, because she threatened their tiny boat-home that dotted the rivers for many years. Not only did the Joe Fowler carry passengers and mail, but she carried freight. 

 

Despite the fact that the Joe Fowler was a hard working boat, both she and the Dick Fowler were luxuriously furnished for passengers and live bands provided music for dancing each evening.

 

Another excursion boat owned by the Fowlers was the Idlewilde. Her river excursions were a popular event. Instrumental bands of the time were on board to provide entertainment and music for dancing on the Ohio. She made regular stops at all the landings along this area. 

 

In the early 1900's, Mr. W. B. Wilborn, the Fowler's agent at Fords Ferry, advertised summer excursion on the steamers Joe Fowler and John S. Hopkins. He wrote that one should take advantage of the extra low rates and enjoy the most pleasant trip offered on inland waters. Boats duly furnished and have all appointments. Orchestra on board. The fare, with berth and meals, from Fords Ferry to Paducah and return is $2.50 for the round trip, and from Fords Ferry to Evansville is $3.00 for the round trip. 

 

It is fascinating to think about the steamers stopping at all the landings along the Ohio that we are familiar with, from Weston, and Fords Ferry to Clementsburg, Cave-In-Rock, Tolu, Rosiclare, Carrsville, and E'town landings. What a bustling and wonderful sight it must have been. 

 

Many other excursion boats also operated on the rivers and the showboats announced their arrival to all the local towns with booming calliopes and she cruised down the river, the music bouncing off the hills at Weston and Cave In Rock and echoing down the river. 

 

The Delta Queen when she was docked at Cave-In-Rock in 2008.

(note: I was fortunate enough a few times, before the historic Delta Queen was docked for good in Oct. 2008, to hear the calliope as she docked at Cave-in-Rock landing and as she took off and resumed her trip down the river. It is something I will never forget, and makes you long to hear it once again and to see the great paddle wheel churning the river as she moved away.)

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