# It was 40 years ago today: The Cuyahoga River Fire **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 23, 2009, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-40-years-ago-today-the-cuyahoga-river-fire/500755 "2009-06-23T20:20:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-40-years-ago-today-the-cuyahoga-river-fire/500755/1 "2009-06-23T20:20:03Z")
Anyone remember the bizarre spectacle of a river on fire? ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-40-years-ago-today-the-cuyahoga-river-fire/500755/2 "2009-06-24T03:00:27Z")
I remember it – big story at the time. My wife (Cleveland born and bred) was in grad school and she took quite a ribbing. Of course the Cuyahoga is much prettier and less flammable these days. ---
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-40-years-ago-today-the-cuyahoga-river-fire/500755/3 "2009-06-24T03:06:16Z")
Ah, the Mistake by the Lake. I used to get ribbed so much about being from Cleveland when I first entered the military. AS soon as people found out I was from Cleveland everyone and their mother always asked me, “Didn’t the river catch on fire up there?” Me? I wasn’t even born when it happened but it must have been some spectacle. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-40-years-ago-today-the-cuyahoga-river-fire/500755/4 "2009-06-24T03:10:45Z")
Actually, it burned multiple times. From [Wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuyahoga_River): > [@](#): > > There have reportedly been at least thirteen fires on the Cuyahoga River, the first occuring in 1868. The largest river fire in 1952 caused over $1 million in damage to boats and a riverfront office building. Fires erupted on the river several more times before June 22, 1969, when a river fire captured the attention of Time magazine, which described the Cuyahoga as the river that “oozes rather than flows” and in which a person “does not drown but decays.” ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-40-years-ago-today-the-cuyahoga-river-fire/500755/5 "2009-06-24T03:32:10Z")
Drat! I was hoping the Wikipedia article had pictures of the fire. Nope. So I Googled, and here’s some of what I found: [From the 1952 fire:](http://www.jcu.edu/chemistry/naosmm/2007/Cuyahoga%20Revisited.htm) according to this source, “No press photo exists of the 1969 fire - news agencies used photos from the 1952 blaze.” More from that site: > [@](#): > > The 1969 fire is the most famous fire on the Cuyahoga River, even though a previous fire in 1952 on the Cuyahoga caused nearly thirty times the amount of damage. [A tug fights a river fire](http://www.daylife.com/photo/01gR2MJ9PgeJq) – while the accompanying text discusses the 1969 fire, there’s no direct attribution of the photo to that one, and a [very similar (if not the same) photo](http://celebrating200years.noaa.gov/events/earthday/cuyohoga_fire.html) at another site is described as of the 1952 fire. Googling for images produced only those two pictures, both of the 1952 fire. ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-40-years-ago-today-the-cuyahoga-river-fire/500755/6 "2009-06-24T12:09:37Z")
We had something similar several years ago. Following some bad weather, I called my friend to see how she was faring. She said “Well, my town is flooded and my river is on fire, but other than that we are O.K.” Off topic- another time she told me “Man, I got pulled over for drunk driving.” I asked “Did you go to jail?” “No” she said. “They took me to the Hilton. Funny thing was, the paint was peeling off the walls and the whole place smelled like urine.” ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-40-years-ago-today-the-cuyahoga-river-fire/500755/7 "2009-06-24T12:41:33Z")
The river is reported to be [much less colorful](http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/21/us/21river.html) these days: “Today, the Cuyahoga is home to more than 60 species of fish, said Jim White, executive director of the Cuyahoga River Community Planning Organization, a nonprofit group that coordinates cleanup efforts. Beavers, blue herons and bald eagles nest along the river’s banks. Long sections of the Cuyahoga are clean enough that they no longer require aggressive monitoring, regulators said.” ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-40-years-ago-today-the-cuyahoga-river-fire/500755/8 "2009-06-24T13:33:29Z")
I’m amazed at how people still associate this with Cleveland. If I tell people I’m going to Cleveland, they’ll say 'Heh-heh, hope the river doesn’t catch on fire." Even people who are **way** too young to remember any of the fires say stuff like that. I guess it’s like Chicago and Al Capone. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-40-years-ago-today-the-cuyahoga-river-fire/500755/9 "2009-06-24T13:50:14Z")
> [@](#): > > Cleveland city of light city of magic > Cleveland city of light you’re calling me > Cleveland, even now I can remember > ‘Cause the Cuyahoga River > Goes smokin’ through my dreams > > Burn on, big river, burn on > Burn on, big river, burn on [Burn On](http://www.lyricsdepot.com/randy-newman/burn-on.html), Randy Newman ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-40-years-ago-today-the-cuyahoga-river-fire/500755/10 "2009-06-24T14:41:41Z")
According to the NPR story that aired yesterday, it wasn’t that uncommon for rivers to catch fire in industrial areas in the first half of the 20th century. I’m not sure what “non uncommon” translates to in actual numbers, but it’s probably somewhat unfair that Cleveland is the city most associated with burning rivers. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-40-years-ago-today-the-cuyahoga-river-fire/500755/11 "2009-06-24T15:23:22Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > . . . but it’s probably somewhat unfair that Cleveland is the city most associated with burning rivers. That’s true. Cleveland just had the misfortune of the most recent fire occurring in 1969, at a time of burgeoning environmental consciousness, when it was the perfect symbol of rust belt pollution run amok. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-40-years-ago-today-the-cuyahoga-river-fire/500755/12 "2009-06-24T18:55:29Z")
> [@](#): > > I know a lot about the history of Cleveland, Ohio > Disasters that have happened there > Like the Cuyahoga River on fire [River On Fire](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ch6xaXDk3Ok), Adam Again ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-40-years-ago-today-the-cuyahoga-river-fire/500755/13 "2009-06-24T18:55:46Z")
Seeing as how I turn 40 myself in just a few short weeks, I’m going to say, no, I don’t remember, because that was before I was born! (I was born on the same day as Neil Armstrong’s _alleged_ moon walk. 😉 ) But I tell that story a lot, living in the Deep South, where nobody here seems to have ever heard of the event. Hilarity ensues every time. All that said, I’m delighted and very proud of the city of Cleveland for the cleanup and major 180º they’ve done with the Flats area and downtown in general. It’s a really fun downtown to visit now! ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-40-years-ago-today-the-cuyahoga-river-fire/500755/14 "2009-06-24T23:04:44Z")
many rivers and streams in western pa would catch fire. before gasoline was used it was dumped into the nearest body of water as waste from producing kerosene. pa has some of the earliest oil wells. ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2009, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-40-years-ago-today-the-cuyahoga-river-fire/500755/15 "2009-07-02T19:21:20Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > Drat! I was hoping the Wikipedia article had pictures of the fire. Nope. So I Googled, and here’s some of what I found: > > [From the 1952 fire:](http://www.jcu.edu/chemistry/naosmm/2007/Cuyahoga%20Revisited.htm) according to this source, “No press photo exists of the 1969 fire - news agencies used photos from the 1952 blaze.” More from that site: > [A tug fights a river fire](http://www.daylife.com/photo/01gR2MJ9PgeJq) – while the accompanying text discusses the 1969 fire, there’s no direct attribution of the photo to that one, and a [very similar (if not the same) photo](http://celebrating200years.noaa.gov/events/earthday/cuyohoga_fire.html) at another site is described as of the 1952 fire. > > Googling for images produced only those two pictures, both of the 1952 fire. For what it’s worth, the Associated Press has the [second photo](http://celebrating200years.noaa.gov/events/earthday/cuyohoga_fire.html) in its archives with the caption: > [@](#): > > \*\* FILE \*\* A fire tug fights flames on the Cuyahoga River near downtown Cleveland, Ohio, where oil and other industrial wastes caught fire June 25, 1969. The public outrage over the fire was partly responsible for the enactment of the landmark Clean Water Act which celebrates its 35th anniversary on Thursday, Oct. 18, 2007. Its objective was to “restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation’s waters.” (AP Photo/File) With the confusion, if I use the photo, I think I’ll just write the caption as “one of many fires on the Cuyahoga River.” ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-40-years-ago-today-the-cuyahoga-river-fire/500755/16 "2009-07-03T01:50:08Z")
> [@](#): > > Lets put our heads together, start a new country up, > Underneath the river bed we burned the river down. > This is where they walked, swam, hunted, danced and sang, > Take a picture here, take a souvenir > Cuyahoga > Cuyahoga, gone Cuyahoga, REM ---
**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-40-years-ago-today-the-cuyahoga-river-fire/500755/17 "2009-07-03T15:48:15Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > Drat! I was hoping the Wikipedia article had pictures of the fire. Nope. So I Googled, and here’s some of what I found: > > [From the 1952 fire:](http://www.jcu.edu/chemistry/naosmm/2007/Cuyahoga%20Revisited.htm) according to this source, “No press photo exists of the 1969 fire - news agencies used photos from the 1952 blaze.” More from that site: > [A tug fights a river fire](http://www.daylife.com/photo/01gR2MJ9PgeJq) – while the accompanying text discusses the 1969 fire, there’s no direct attribution of the photo to that one, and a [very similar (if not the same) photo](http://celebrating200years.noaa.gov/events/earthday/cuyohoga_fire.html) at another site is described as of the 1952 fire. > > Googling for images produced only those two pictures, both of the 1952 fire. Actually this looks like someone trying to put out a fire on the tug. The tug seems to have smoke coming from it and the water is clearly being sprayed from the bridge, not the tug. ---
**Author:** ![QuercusMax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/8baadc/32.png) [@QuercusMax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuercusMax)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-40-years-ago-today-the-cuyahoga-river-fire/500755/18 "2009-07-03T16:05:02Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > Cuyahoga, REM Never heard that song before, but it’s obvious Michael Stipe didn’t do any research before recording that song - at least, he sure doesn’t know how to pronounce Cuyahoga! (FTR, it’s pronounced kye-uh-HOE-guh, not “coy-”) ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-40-years-ago-today-the-cuyahoga-river-fire/500755/19 "2009-07-03T17:40:17Z")
> [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](#): > > I’m amazed at how people still associate this with Cleveland. If I tell people I’m going to Cleveland, they’ll say 'Heh-heh, hope the river doesn’t catch on fire." Even people who are **way** too young to remember any of the fires say stuff like that. I guess it’s like Chicago and Al Capone. It’s Cincinnati Bengals fans like me just trying to do our part to keep the good memories alive… ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-40-years-ago-today-the-cuyahoga-river-fire/500755/20 "2009-07-03T17:57:52Z")
> [@QuercusMax](#): > > Never heard that song before, but it’s obvious Michael Stipe didn’t do any research before recording that song - at least, he sure doesn’t know how to pronounce Cuyahoga! > > (FTR, it’s pronounced kye-uh-HOE-guh, not “coy-”) And, from my time living in Cleveland, the pronunciation if different depending on which side of the river you live on. East: generally “kuy-uh-HOE-guh” West: generally “kuy-uh-HAWG-uh” or “kuy-uh-HAW-guh” One would think there would be more photos of the river catching fire than just those two tugboat photos; at least something from 1969 in color.