DEAD SKY

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posts tagged "history"

The Cuyahoga River fire on June 22, 1969 was not the first or even the worst—the fire lasted only 30 minutes and caused just $50,000 in damage—but timing was everything. The 1969 fire—which started when sparks from a passing train landed on oil-soaked industrial debris that was floating in the river—burst into flame at a time when Americans were becoming increasingly concerned about preserving clean air and water and reducing industry’s long-term effects on the environment. The Cuyahoga River fire instantly became one of a handful of powerful symbols of the troubled legacy—in terms of both environmental damage and human health risks—of America’s fading industrial economy. The event also turned Cleveland into a national punch line—The Mistake by the Lake—which the city worked for years to overcome. Today, the Cuyahoga River has been reclaimed. The once-infamous waterway is now home to 60 species of fish as well as beavers, blue herons, bald eagles and other wildlife. Billions of dollars have been spent to reduce pollution from sewage and industrial waste and control storm water runoff, and billions more are earmarked for additional wastewater treatment. Cleveland has even turned its fiery industrial past into a force for good; the Burning River Fest, started in 2002, is an annual outdoor festival with good food and live music that showcases environmental issues and raises money for water-focused environmental causes.

The Cuyahoga River fire on June 22, 1969 was not the first or even the worst—the fire lasted only 30 minutes and caused just $50,000 in damage—but timing was everything.

The 1969 fire—which started when sparks from a passing train landed on oil-soaked industrial debris that was floating in the river—burst into flame at a time when Americans were becoming increasingly concerned about preserving clean air and water and reducing industry’s long-term effects on the environment.

The Cuyahoga River fire instantly became one of a handful of powerful symbols of the troubled legacy—in terms of both environmental damage and human health risks—of America’s fading industrial economy. The event also turned Cleveland into a national punch line—The Mistake by the Lake—which the city worked for years to overcome.

Today, the Cuyahoga River has been reclaimed. The once-infamous waterway is now home to 60 species of fish as well as beavers, blue herons, bald eagles and other wildlife. Billions of dollars have been spent to reduce pollution from sewage and industrial waste and control storm water runoff, and billions more are earmarked for additional wastewater treatment.

Cleveland has even turned its fiery industrial past into a force for good; the Burning River Fest, started in 2002, is an annual outdoor festival with good food and live music that showcases environmental issues and raises money for water-focused environmental causes.

(Source: environment.about.com)

Hale Homestead, Bath, OH. 1920’s. 

Hale Homestead, Bath, OH. 1920’s. 

Lake

Lake

Independence ghost town, via my flickr. Legend has it that prospectors discovered the Independence Gold Lode on July 4, 1879. A tent city sprang up that summer, and by 1880 there were 300 people living in the camp. By 1881, the Farwell Mining Company had acquired most of the leading mines in the area including the Independence No. 1, 2, & 3, Last Dollar, Legal Tender, Mammoth, Mount Hope, Champion, Sheba, Friday, and Dolly Varden. The company also operated the Farwell Stamp Mill and a large sawmill for their mines. That summer, the population grew to 500, served by four grocery stores, four boarding houses and three saloons. The Independence Miner started printing in October. By 1882 the Town of Independence had over 40 businesses with three post offices and an estimated population of 1,500. A miner could get room and board for $2 at the New England House, a boarding house on the east end of Main Street. Typical of mining boom towns, the bust soon followed. Miners were lured away from Independence by the abundant work, good pay and milder climate of Aspen. The citizens of Independence could expect to be blanketed in snow from early October to late May. Daily life in a town at 10,900 feet was not easy! Although mining at Independence proved to be short lived, over $190,000 worth of gold was produced between 1881 and 1882. The next year production dropped to $2,000. By 1888, only 100 citizens remained in the high mountain town, which in its brief history had been called many names—Independence, Chipeta, Mammoth City, Mount Hope, Farwell, Sparkill and Hunter’s Pass. During the winter of 1899 the worst storm in Colorado’s history cut off the supply routes to Independence. The miners, who were running out of food, proceeded to dismantle their homes to make 75 pairs of skis and to escape en masse to Aspen. They made light of their adventure by making it a race of the Hunter’s Pass Ski Club—entry fee: one ham sandwich. via

Independence ghost town, via my flickr.


Legend has it that prospectors discovered the Independence Gold Lode on July 4, 1879. A tent city sprang up that summer, and by 1880 there were 300 people living in the camp.

By 1881, the Farwell Mining Company had acquired most of the leading mines in the area including the Independence No. 1, 2, & 3, Last Dollar, Legal Tender, Mammoth, Mount Hope, Champion, Sheba, Friday, and Dolly Varden. The company also operated the Farwell Stamp Mill and a large sawmill for their mines. That summer, the population grew to 500, served by four grocery stores, four boarding houses and three saloons. The Independence Miner started printing in October. By 1882 the Town of Independence had over 40 businesses with three post offices and an estimated population of 1,500. A miner could get room and board for $2 at the New England House, a boarding house on the east end of Main Street.

Typical of mining boom towns, the bust soon followed. Miners were lured away from Independence by the abundant work, good pay and milder climate of Aspen. The citizens of Independence could expect to be blanketed in snow from early October to late May. Daily life in a town at 10,900 feet was not easy!

Although mining at Independence proved to be short lived, over $190,000 worth of gold was produced between 1881 and 1882. The next year production dropped to $2,000. By 1888, only 100 citizens remained in the high mountain town, which in its brief history had been called many names—Independence, Chipeta, Mammoth City, Mount Hope, Farwell, Sparkill and Hunter’s Pass.

During the winter of 1899 the worst storm in Colorado’s history cut off the supply routes to Independence. The miners, who were running out of food, proceeded to dismantle their homes to make 75 pairs of skis and to escape en masse to Aspen. They made light of their adventure by making it a race of the Hunter’s Pass Ski Club—entry fee: one ham sandwich.

via

jonnyproblems:

we did a snowboard sesh there once. those stairs were built in the great depression when people didn’t have anything else to do, now they’re overgrown and random as fuck in the middle of downtown. gotta love akron though, the memories.

Aspen Police Dept. (saabhistory) This photo depicts three brand new 1979 Saab 900 GLE Combi Coupes for the Aspen Police Department, taken at the base of Ajax Mountain in the Aspen core. [side note- the APD now drives big hybrid GMC Denalis, not cool Saabs like this]

Aspen Police Dept. (saabhistory)

This photo depicts three brand new 1979 Saab 900 GLE Combi Coupes for the Aspen Police Department, taken at the base of Ajax Mountain in the Aspen core. [side note- the APD now drives big hybrid GMC Denalis, not cool Saabs like this]


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