Water Highways
— Chilo: Living and Working with the Ohio River —
Since the beginning of the western expansion, the Ohio River has moved people and products into the nation's interior.
Coal is King
After the Civil War, the demand for coal increased. Coal is now by far the
major commodity moving along the Ohio River. Coal is extracted in
Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio and brought to the fifty coal-
fired power plants along the river.
Other goods include:
Aggregates: limestone and sand are quarried and delivered to construction and cement companies.
Petroleum and Petroleum Products: many cities on the river are not connected to a pipeline and receive their petroleum by river
transportation.
Grain: much grain is carried from the Ohio River Basin, down the Mississippi to export markets around the world.
Chemicals: several hundred chemical plants are located along the Ohio River. The river provides not only transportation, but a needed water
supply for production.
Saving Money and the Environment
Today, millions of tons of cargo are loaded into barges and
pushed by tow boats. Transporting goods by barge is cost
effective. Towboats, with their string of barges, are also more
environmentally friendly. They release fewer emissions than
trains and trucks carrying
this page online
Erected by Clermont County Park District.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Natural Resources • Waterways & Vessels.
Location. 38° 47.376′ N, 84° 7.938′ W. Marker is in Chilo, Ohio, in Clermont County. Marker is on County Park Road, 0.2 miles south of Ohio River Scenic Byway (U.S. 52), on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 521 County Park Rd, Felicity OH 45120, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Chilo Lock and Dam #34 Walking Tour (a few steps from this marker); Search Lights (a few steps from this marker); The Flood of 1937 (within shouting distance of this marker); The Assistant Lockmaster’s House (within shouting distance of this marker); Chilo Lock & Dam #34 Powerhouse (within shouting distance of this marker); The “Rye” Field and Water Tower (within shouting distance of this marker); Replacing Chilo (within shouting distance of this marker); Locking Through (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Chilo.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 17, 2021. It was originally submitted on February 14, 2021, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 99 times since then and 10 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 14, 2021, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
