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Time Begin/cue |
Segment Description |
Theme Connection |
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:40 |
Introduction |
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2:18 Rivers |
The AlleghenyThe Allegheny River begins in mountains of North Central Pennsylvania near Coudersport, flows north, crosses the state line into New York, then turns south into the Allegheny Reservoir at the Kinzua Dam. Segment includes photos of Kinzua Dam and the 1936 flood. |
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3:27 Gas station |
Peter Bleech, who runs a gas station and store in Rogertown tells about logging on the upper Allegheny. |
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6:44 |
The name "Allegheny" is believed of Native American origin meaning "fair waters." The name of the river has extended to the mountains, the county, and the old city of Allegheny (now North Side) across the river from downtown Pittsburgh. Traffic and development on the upper Allegheny is mostly recreational but gets busier and more industrial as it nears Pittsburgh. |
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9:44 Barge with Downtown Pittsburgh in background |
The Mon's West Virginia originsThe 128-mile Monongahela River starts at Fairmont, in the mountains of West Virginia and ends at Pittsburgh where it meets the Ohio. The Point, where the Tygart and the West Fork Rivers join to form the Mon, is still undeveloped and looks like what Pittsburgh must have looked at it's beginning. |
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11:50 Maps, barge |
The Mon's industrial heritageThe Mon was a hard-working river--the busiest inland waterway in the world--when Pittsburgh was the capital of industry. The "Steel Valley" now suffers economic depression |
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13:24 Barge in fog |
Day in the life of a towboatThis segment follows the Wanda B, a towboat run by Consolidation Coal Company out of West Elizabeth. The front watch builds a "tow" by tying together 13 barges. Deckhands check for leaks and keep the barges shipshape. Tow arrives at Duquesne, docks, drops off the barges, then pick up empties at Clairton to take back to Elizabeth. The crew works one week on and one week off and eat the plain-cooked home-made food prepared in the kitchen of towboat. Name "Monongahela" probably came from the Delaware tribe, meaning "high banks breaking off and falling down at places." |
Rivers and Valleys: transportation, work |
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22:00 Begins after dictionary page of Monongahela |
Pittsburgh's Origins at the Forks of the OhioAllegheny and Mon come together at Pittsburgh, forming the Ohio River. In early days the French considered the Allegheny and Ohio as one river called "La Belle Riviere" or "The Beautiful River" with the Mon a tributary of the bigger river. George Washington called the "Ohio and the Aligany" the same river in his journals. "Ohio" is of Native American origin meaning either "beautiful river," "frothy waters," or "something big." It flows 981 miles to Cairo Illinois where it flows into the Mississippi. |
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23:15 Begins after map: looking downstream on the river |
The locks and damsLockmaster at Emsworth Locks explains why the river needs locks and dams. Segment also includes old film, paintings, and drawings of locks and boats. |
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27:00 Old BW engraving |
Flatboats, keelboats, and steamboatsPHLF historian Walter Kidney talks about the early steamships on Pittsburgh rivers and shows drawings, diagrams, blueprints and photos of early flatboats, keelboats, packets, and passenger boats. Captain Frederick Way, Jr. of Sewickley, piloted packets on the Ohio River in the 1920s and 1930s. He shows books, pictures, and memorabilia from his career and tells of his riverboat travels. |
Rivers and Valleys: transportation Western PA History: steamboats |
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35:20 Buffet table |
River RenaissanceDuring Pittsburgh's Renaissance, ALCOSAN, the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority, began cleaning up the rivers. Its treasurer, John Connelly, conceived of the Gateway Clipper to attract tourists to the newly clean rivers. Today the fleet has grown to six boats. |
Western PA History: Renaissance Having Fun and leisure |
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39:10 Newspaper headline |
The Mystery of the B25The biggest river mystery in Pittsburgh is the sinking of the B25 bomber in the Mon near the Hi-Level Bridge in 1956. The airforce says it is still there but it has never been found! Many people report having seen it being salvaged and hauled away during that same night. |
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43:05 Point fountain spray with rainbow |
Geology of the "Fourth River"Another mystery is the "Fourth River" supposedly flowing under the Point. A geotechnical engineer explains that it is really an "aquifer," a geological layer of sand and gravel that absorbs and stores water. Water from the aquifer is pumped up to feed the Point fountain . |
Rivers and Valleys: geology |
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45:00 Water treatment plant |
Drinking the waterResidents of Allegheny County get their water from 25 different treatment plants. Water for Pittsburgh itself comes from the treatment plant near Aspinwall on the Allegheny, where we see how river water becomes tap water. Businesses are also large consumers of treated water. Water for Iron City Brewery comes from Highland Park Reservoir. |
Rivers and Valleys: water supply |
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49:05 Canoe on water |
Fun on the RiversThe rivers were used for escape and relaxation in the 19th century but industrial pollution eventually put a stop to river recreation. Now fish are back in the rivers and fisherman are back. Pleasure boats are now as common as tow boats and regattas are back! Since 1978 the annual Three Rivers Regatta attracts hundreds of thousands of people to Pittsburgh to watch international formula one racing and all kinds of water sports. |
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53:40 Plan on paper |
Planning the rivers' futureFuture plans for the rivers include more recreation, waterfront parks, and resorts along the rivers. We also see drawings of past ideas for river development. Turning Herr's Island into Washington's Landing has successfully brought residential, commercial, recreational, and light industrial uses together on the river. The sport of rowing is now making a comeback there. |
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The End |