Cuyahoga River fires
The Cuyahoga River fires refer to a series of incidents, most notably in November 1952 and June 22, 1969, where the river caught fire due to severe pollution. Located near Cleveland, Ohio, the Cuyahoga River has a history of industrial contamination, significantly impacting its water quality and aquatic life. By the mid-20th century, the river was heavily polluted with industrial waste, leading to fish kills and unpleasant odors, prompting concern about its health. The 1969 fire, which caused approximately $50,000 in damages, drew significant media attention and became a symbol of environmental degradation. The flames, which reportedly reached heights comparable to a five-story building, highlighted the irresponsible practices of waterfront industries that used the river as a dumping ground. As a result of this incident and its subsequent coverage, public awareness and support for environmental reforms surged, ultimately contributing to broader initiatives aimed at cleaning up Lake Erie and protecting the Great Lakes. The Cuyahoga River's notoriety served as a catalyst for environmental advocacy, influencing policies and regulatory changes in the years that followed.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Cuyahoga River fires
THE EVENT: Burning of oil slicks on the surface of the Cuyahoga River near Cleveland, Ohio
DATES: November, 1952, and June 22, 1969
The fire that occurred on the oil-slicked Cuyahoga River in 1969 demonstrated the poor environmental condition of the Great Lakes and sparked a major media event that served to sway public opinion toward supporting the cleanup of Lake Erie.
The Cuyahoga River divides the city of Cleveland into east and west sides. Originating on the Appalachian Plateau 56 kilometers (35 miles) east of Cleveland, the river meanders 166 kilometers (103 miles) to Lake Erie. About 8 kilometers (5 miles) from its mouth, it becomes a sharply twisting but navigable stream that forms part of Cleveland’s harbor. Industrial development took place along the river in the early nineteenth century, and by 1860 docks and warehouses lined the ship channel. Industry had claimed virtually all of Cleveland’s riverfront by 1881, when, according to Cleveland mayor Rensselaer R. Herrick, the from factories and oil refineries made it an open running through the center of the city.
In 1951 the Ohio Department of Natural Resources reported that the Cuyahoga River was heavily polluted with industrial effluents at its mouth, creating conditions that were unsatisfactory for the existence of aquatic life. In September of that year, thousands of dead fish were washed ashore just west of the river’s mouth, and observers noted that the area gave off strong river odors.
An oil slick burned on the Cuyahoga River for days in November, 1952, causing an estimated $1.5 million in damage, without attracting national attention. Almost seventeen years later, at approximately noon on Sunday, June 22, 1969, the Cuyahoga River again caught fire. The fire was brought under control by approximately 12:20 P.M., but not before it had done some $50,000 worth of damage to two key railroad trestles over the river in the Flats area of Cleveland. An oil slick on the river had caught fire and floated under the wooden bridges, setting fire to both. Witnesses reported that the flames from the bridges reached as high as a five-story building. The fireboat Anthony J. Celebrezze rushed upstream and battled the blaze on the water while units from three fire battalions brought the flames on the trestles under control. Responsibility for the oil slick was placed on the waterfront industries, which used the river as a dumping ground for oil wastes instead of reclaiming the products.
The railroad trestles that burned were not all that sustained damage in the fire. Cleveland’s reputation as “the best location in the nation” was severely damaged by the occurrence. The city became the brunt of numerous jokes, and the mass media across the country characterized it as the only city with a river so choked with that it had burned. No river in the United States had a more notorious national reputation than the Cuyahoga River. Media coverage of the fire helped galvanize nationwide public support for efforts to clean up not only Lake Erie in particular but also the in general.
Bibliography
Adler, Jonathan A. “Fables of the Cuyahoga: Reconstructing a History of Environmental Protection.” Fordham Environmental Law Journal 14 (2002): 89-146.
Boissoneault, Lorraine. "The Cuyahoga River Caught Fire at Least a Dozen Times, but No One Cared Until 1969." Smithsonian, 19 June 2019, www.smithsonianmag.com/history/cuyahoga-river-caught-fire-least-dozen-times-no-one-cared-until-1969-180972444/. Accessed 17 July 2024.
Grady, Wayne. The Great Lakes: The Natural History of a Changing Region. Vancouver: Greystone Books, 2007.
McGucken, William. Lake Erie Rehabilitated: Controlling Cultural Eutrophication, 1960’s-1990’s. Akron, Ohio: University of Akron Press, 2000.
"The 1969 Cuyahoga River Fire." National Park Service, 3 May 2022, www.nps.gov/articles/story-of-the-fire.htm. Accessed 17 July 2024.