 Photographed is the Cuyahoga River circa 1952. From the left side of the photo, a firefighter is extinguishing the flames from a bridge that runs over the river. a ship can be seen enveloped in the blaze as the deck and rest of the ship catches fire. The entirety of the city is hidden behind the screen of smoke as the heavily polluted water continues to smoke. In the background, another stream of water can be seen as firefighters struggle to fight the blaze from the bridge. The fire likely surrounds the ship on the water and has already destroyed the back half of the boat. Evident from the sinking tail end of the ship that is partially obscured by the smoke.
In the wake of the fire, three tugboats, three buildings, and the ship repair yards in Cleveland were left destroyed (Boissoneault). The fire was started from an oil slick on the river catching blaze and it quickly spread. In 1969, this same photo would accompany the news stories reporting the fire led to major pollution reform in 1969. This photo was used because the fire in 1962 only took about 30 minutes to extinguish while the fire in this picture lasted significantly longer (Boissoneault). Perhaps the most shocking part of the story surrounding the Cuyahoga river is that the river caught fire over a dozen times before the city decided to introduce reform to improve the conditions of the water. In fact, some argued that the level of pollution was like a badge of honor for the city, it proved that Cleveland was at its industrial prime. “As David Newton writes in Chemistry of the Environment, ‘Fundamentally this level of environmental degradation was accepted as a sign of success’” (Boissoneault). This is perhaps one of the most well-known photos of the Cuyahoga fires and while it is often attributed to the fire in 1969, it is actually evidence from 1952. This photo was published in Time magazine and while the mismatched photo is now acknowledged by the public and publisher, the error did nothing to impede the message (Boissoneault). Instead, the American people saw the over a decade old photo as a sign of pure environmental destruction and neglect, it was a call to action for change in the same environmental movement that had begun to sweep the nation alongside Rachel Carlson’s Silent Spring. Convincing legislators to create restrictions on business was difficult because while the pollution levels and health risks were well known, pollution meant that industry was thriving. And while industry thrived, citizens had consistent job opportunities with decent wages as factories could expel their waste most cheaply. Civilians reported that the river was always covered in oil slicks and animals could sometimes be seen floating, dead on the surface of the river (Boissoneault). The Cuyahoga River contributed most to history in that its blaze in 1969 partially led to the US's first Earth Day, the Clean Water Act, and the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency (Boissoneault). The Cuyahoga river became the host to a major industrial boom in the Midwest following the Civil War. The river flowed 100 miles across Ohio before emptying into Lake Erie. It proved the perfect place for manufacturers to set up shop as trade via the river was easily accessible to the river-side properties. While it was used for transporting goods, the river quickly became a dumpsite for polluted waste over the century following the Civil War, creating a threat to the city’s water supply and an obvious toll on the landscape (Boissoneault). Up until the 70s, most of the city accepted the pollution while the economy boomed but in the wake of the release of Silent Spring, the Vietnam War, and the loss of manufacturing jobs the city witnessed, the public began calling for reform (Siler). Today, the Cuyahoga River is still working toward its recovery, attempting to undo a century of poor-waste management. Only recently, in March of 2019 were fish caught in the Cuyahoga river considered to be safe to eat (“Restoring the Cuyahoga River”). Although in August of 2002, the river caught fire once again showing that the river may need even more time to recover from the industry tycoons that abused it. And while the river is still in the process of being cleaned up, implementations by federal and state EPAs have stopped the pollutants at their source. Visiting the river today, Viewers may see individuals kayaking to collect trash or a community-led project focusing on the removal of dams and restoration of the habitat for wildlife. While progress has been made, the protections in place are nowhere near perfect solutions. Storm drains allow for sewage, toxins, and fertilizer to flow into the river during rainstorms and the fire that occurred in 2020 was a result of a fuel tanker driving off of the road, spilling its contents into the river which caught fire (Siler). And while environmental legislation and efforts have worked to improve conditions of the river, centuries of damage will likely take more than 50 years to repair. Furthermore, wildlife was uprooted and forced to respond to the dramatic changes the river underwent as pollutants spread throughout the waterway. There are stories of children that would spend their childhood in the 50s and 60s fishing in the Cuyahoga River, recalling the awful acrid smell and almost always turning up empty-handed. Following the massive cleanup initiatives that were created after the fire in '69, the public noticed a return of wildlife as the fishermen were more likely to catch carp, bluegills, and white bass though they were still few and far between (“Restoring the Cuyahoga River”). Many fish that were caught had growths or tumors as a result of the exposure to the contaminants (“Restoring the Cuyahoga River”). Bowheads are an example of the type of fish that was most likely to suffer from these mutations as they are bottom feeders, which is where solid waste and toxins settled and affected the fish (“Restoring the Cuyahoga River”). As water quality increased, fewer common fish were caught in the river, and fish that require higher water quality also made an appearance. It wasn't just the freshwater fish that were impacted as a result of the state of the river but land animals that resided in the Cuyahoga valley were impacted as well though the damage was less visible to the public. For many animals, the water's smell, and taste led those that could relocate to find other sources of water meaning that the only visible sign of change was the now-missing wildlife. Children growing up in the Cuyahoga valley often recall the rarity of seeing a deer in their youth as so few remained in the area (“Restoring the Cuyahoga River”). One of the early on calls to action for reform was from Carl Stokes, Cleveland's mayor at the time of the 1969 fire who had run based on improving water quality (Siler). Stokes wanted to remove the dams that blocked the river and affect the habitat. Dams harm fish habitats by changing the water temperature and altering the natural flow of water and sediments from one end of the river to the other (“Restoring the Cuyahoga River”). It also limits fish migration patterns and likely was a large contributed to why only common fish were found in the River early on despite being rare occurrences. In 2020 both the Pinery Feeder Dam and the Brecksville Diversion Dam were removed (“Restoring the Cuyahoga River”). Some of the most major changes the Cuyahoga has undergone in the past 50 years are that the first 25 miles are so biologically rich it became a state scenic river in 1974 (“Restoring the Cuyahoga River”). Several of the most polluted sections that stretched from Akron to Cleveland have passed most if not all of the standard for clean water put in place by the Clean Water Act. Omission rates are down for the industries that border the river and their efforts to continue removing dams that are obsolete in addition to the two that were removed this year. The locals of the Cuyahoga valley have also seen a return of nesting bald eagles and along with them, new tourist attractions thanks to the flourishing ecosystem and dynamic waterways, perfect for hikers and kayakers. Narrative The summer that I graduated high school, my parents told me I had to get a job if I was to keep staying with them which was a hell of a lot cheaper than moving into my own place. Ever since all the factories started opening up, houses got more expensive, or at least according to my dad, I don't really remember there ever not being the old Standard Oil factory just down the road but apparently, they were why costs were going up. The factory was right along the river and if any kids wanted to go down and skip rocks or play with friends, then they had to stay clear of the factory. Not just because the owner was a mean old grouch that would call the cops on any kid that had accidentally stumbled across a property line but because if one of them was to fall in, supposedly they would have to be taken to the hospital right away. I always thought that it was just parents being hyperbolic, just trying to keep their kids from getting arrested or accidentally drowning in the Cuyahoga but when I took my first weekend off from work fishing, just up the way by the Brecksville Diversion Dam, something wasn’t right about the fish we caught. We fished for nearly 8 hours, and between the three of us only managed to catch three fish. Well, fish if you could call them that. They were covered in bumps and open soars that oozed when we grabbed the fish to pull them off the hook. Thinking back to a health class that I had taken in my freshman year; I think the bumps were probably tumors caused by the poor things being in the water. Perhaps it wasn't just the warnings of over-bearing parents. Midway through the summer, I was walking to work early in the morning, I was due at 8 and had gotten in good with the boss who let me snag some extra hours in the morning if I helped set up. My dad told me to pick up more shifts if I could, something about “costs were going up and so did my hours.” I didn’t really know what he was talking about, I spent all day at work that which made me feel like I hardly had time to pay attention to much else. So, I left the house in rush to make my extra shift. I was walking with a buddy that I had met up with as they left a bakery with breakfast in hand and we had decided to head the rest of the way together. Apparently, the boss had been extending the extra shift offers. I liked my co-worker well enough; they were originally from Columbus and had moved to Akron for a little while before settling here in Cleveland. “I’m glad I moved when I did! I found a job right away and the pay is pretty good too! That’s because these owners and manufacturers got a cheap way of expelling waste and an infinite supply of workers in a city like this.” He stated. Though they hadn’t pointed at the river I knew exactly what the cheap method of exposal was, and I thought it better not to argue with them as we continued walking. “You know? Other states are trying to hurt businesses by putting in all these rules and you and I are going to have to pick up the slack when wages get cut. A dirty river and booming factory scene are the sign of a healthy and wealthy city, who cares about much else?" As I was about to respond with a noncommittal hum there was a loud crackling sound that started echoing from farther up the river and we saw smoke plumes rise up just a bit away from where they would normally be for the factory's stacks. We shared a look of confusion followed by understanding before sprinting toward the source until we found a large fire slowly enveloping a tugboat as firefighters arrived on the scene. There were at least two firetrucks stationed at the bridge over the fire, attempting to angle the hoses just right so that they could arch onto the flames that were currently swallowing the boat. I thought back to my parent's cautions of swimming in the river, what do the people on the boat do? What would I do? Jump off into the definitely on fire river or if I managed to escape the flames, what would the toxins do to me? Would I end up looking like one of those fish? My anxieties were quelled slightly as I saw a lifeboat being lowered into the water with people and a second boat following suit. It looked like everyone on the deck was on one of the swiftly fleeing lifeboats and so I could only hope that no one remained on the enflamed boat. I watched closely as the fireboats arrived on the scene to provide closer combat to the fire. “Fireboats" what a silly thing to require, one would just assume that you wouldn't need a fire safety measure in a body of water. But the Cuyahoga wasn’t just water at this point and the oil swirling on the surface looking back at me was evidence of that. As the fires died down and the lifeboats landed safely on the shore, my friend and I turned away to continue our journey to the factory hoping the fire would be expunged completely by the time we reached the doors. After all, this wasn’t the first time the river had caught fire and it likely wouldn’t be the last – nobody seemed to care before and why would they now? Works Cited Boissoneault, Lorraine. “The Cuyahoga River Caught Fire at Least a Dozen Times, but No One Cared Until 1969.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 19 June 2019, www.smithsonianmag.com/history/cuyahoga-river-caught-fire-least-dozen-times-no- one-cared-until-1969-180972444/. “Restoring the Cuyahoga River.” National Parks Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, www.nps.gov/cuva/learn/cuyahoga-river-restoration.htm. Siler, Wes. “51 Years Later, the Cuyahoga River Burns Again.” Outside Online, Outside Magazine, 28 Aug. 2020, www.outsideonline.com/2416503/cuyahoga-river-fire-2020- 1969#:~:text=The Cuyahoga first caught on fire in 1868,are thought to have been taken of it.
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