Towboat on the Ohio
Towboat on the Ohio by James E. Casto, published by University Press of Kentucky on June 16, 2010, offers an insightful exploration of life on the Ohio River. This reprint edition spans 208 pages and is presented in English. The book chronicles Casto’s eight-day journey aboard the towboat Blazer, detailing the experiences of the crew as they navigate from Huntington, West Virginia, to Pittsburgh and back, while also highlighting the river’s significance in American transportation history.
Readers will find a blend of personal narrative and historical context as Casto introduces key figures such as Captain Ronnie Davis and engineer Steve Bellomy, alongside the beauty and challenges of the Ohio River. The text interweaves the evolution of river commerce, from flatboats to modern diesel-powered vessels, providing a comprehensive look at the transportation industry and its impact on the Midwest. Through this engaging account, Towboat on the Ohio presents a unique perspective on the river’s role in shaping local economies and communities.
Official synopsis Publisher
To get a personal look at what it is like to work on the Ohio River, newspaperman James E. Casto spent eight days aboard the Blazer as it traveled the Ohio from Huntington, West Virginia, to Pittsburgh, up the Allegheny and the Mongahela, and then back to Huntington. The Paul G. Blazer, a gleaming white towboat owned and operated by Ashland Oil, pushes a group — or “tow,” as the rivermen call it — of nine barges on this trip. Along the way, Casto introduces us to Captain Ronnie Davis, pilot Ronnie Burge, engineer Steve Bellomy, the mates, the deckhands, and the cook, as well as the river itself, the life and the beauty that are the Ohio.
Interwoven with the narrative of the trip upriver and back is the history of commerce on the Ohio — of how the flatboats and keelboats gave way to the steamboats and how, in turn, the steamboats were replaced by today’s powerful, diesel-powered boats such as the Blazer.
Mark Twain wrote that the Mississippi had a new story to tell every day. The same can be said of the Ohio. As engaging as it is informative, Towboat on the Ohio tells one of the many stories of the busy, hardworking Ohio River.
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