On our journey back from Florida to Missouri, we spent the last night in Paducah, Kentucky, at the confluence of the Ohio and Tennessee Rivers. In fact, our hotel room offered a sweeping view of the Ohio, where tugboats struggled to control their barge trains.
During our brief stay, we wandered through and dined in the historic section of downtown Paducah, where old buildings are being renovated to house shops, cafes and apartments; of interest, William Clark, of the Lewis & Clark Expedition, first platted this port city in 1827. The National Quilt Museum, where we found that quilts can be fine art, is also located in Paducah.
Despite the cultural amenities of the city, the broad Ohio River was of primary interest to me. After all, it was the river of my youth, having grown up and come of age in Cincinnati. Rivers connect natural ecosystems and human cities; for some, they also connect us with our past. A night on the Ohio proved to be a nostalgic experience.
For a bit of natural history, see: From Teays to Ohio
During our brief stay, we wandered through and dined in the historic section of downtown Paducah, where old buildings are being renovated to house shops, cafes and apartments; of interest, William Clark, of the Lewis & Clark Expedition, first platted this port city in 1827. The National Quilt Museum, where we found that quilts can be fine art, is also located in Paducah.
Despite the cultural amenities of the city, the broad Ohio River was of primary interest to me. After all, it was the river of my youth, having grown up and come of age in Cincinnati. Rivers connect natural ecosystems and human cities; for some, they also connect us with our past. A night on the Ohio proved to be a nostalgic experience.
For a bit of natural history, see: From Teays to Ohio
