December

December 1, 1866: Suspension Bridge Opens Across Ohio River

Cincinnati had long enjoyed its claim to fame as a significant port of call for numerous steamboats. But on December 1, 1866, the Roebling Suspension Bridge opened for pedestrian traffic, giving Cincinnati's riverfront the additional distinction as home to the world's longest suspended river-crossing. It was in 1867 that the bridge opened for vehicle passage across the Ohio River.

December 4, 1868: Collision Destroys Two Mail Liners on Ohio River

On December 4, 1868, a head-on collision occurred on the Ohio River between the United States and her sister ship The America. Both were part of the mail line operation between Cincinnati and Louisville. The accident, which is believed to have been the result of a misunderstanding regarding the boats' steam whistle signals, occurred near Warsaw, Kentucky.

It is said that many residents of the area still have relics or souvenirs of the river tragedy. Dr. Carl Bogardus, a retired physician and noted river historian, has made the history of the Warsaw community his hobby. He remembers that as a youngster in the 1920's before modern dams raised the water level, he and others used to swim to the wreckage The America. The remains of the boat could clearly be seen through the shallow water. Offshore at the wreck site, there is a sign posted on the riverbank near Warsaw memorializing the event.