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Did you know that the Ohio River has a long history of boats? Many boats have glided up and down the Ohio River. Native Americans were the first people to use canoes to sail up and down the Ohio River.

When the pioneers came to Kentucky they created in 1761. A keel is a large beam that runs along the underside of the . The keel helped keep the boat stable and create control.

The Ohio River was a quick and easy way to transport and sell goods. The inventors decided a larger boat was needed in order to transport more goods and people so Flatboats were created in 1781. Flatboats mostly transported goods (coal, fur, timber, agricultural products) and sometimes two or more families traveling with farm animals. Along the Ohio River in Louisville, Kentucky sits the Falls of the Ohio (https://www.fallsoftheohio.org/). In two miles the river drops 26 feet! That’s the size of a two-story house. It was very dangerous for boats to cross the Ohio River, especially large boats. Tugboats were invented in 1802 to help push and pull boats that were stuck, not only in the Falls of the Ohio, but anywhere they were needed.

Eventually Tugboats would become very useful to help guide the through the river. Some boats couldn’t make it through the Ohio River so city engineers have decided to create the McAlpine Locks and Dams (Take a video tour here: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=P-cyqTaflcM). The locks and dams allow boats to safely pass through the Falls without a horrible accident.

Steamboats, which were invented in 1811, transported goods and eventually became luxury travel for people. Steamboats are powered by the heating of water causing the paddle wheel to turn. If you head to downtown Louisville you will most likely see a famous steamboat on our own Ohio River! During Kentucky Derby festivities the Ohio River also happens to be host to one of the greatest steamboat races in the country. One type of boat that is seen most frequently on the Ohio River is a . A barge is a large vessel! It would take 870 semi-trucks to carry the load of one 15 barge tow!

Barges also help launch the fireworks for Thunder over Louisville (https://thunderoverlouisville.org/), which is the celebration that starts the beginning of the Kentucky Derby Festivities.

Boats have been and still are an important part of transporting goods and people around us. We hope that you are able to check out the models of the boats that we have with the Louisville Children’s Museum! Questions about the Article

1. Have you seen any of these boats in real life?

2. Which boat was your favorite? Why?

3. Can you name another type of boat that was not mentioned above?

4. Put these boats in order on a timeline.

5. Go to the websites and videos listed above, did you learn anything new?

Crossword Puzzle

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Down: Across: 1. This is the name of the river that separates 3. There are many of these over the river Kentucky from Indiana 5. This boat has a large beam that runs 2. This boat is powered by the heating of water underside of the ship to create control and 4. This boat was built primarily to transport stability goods (coal, fur, timber, agriculture 6. This boat can tow the same amount as 871 products) semi-trucks 7. This boat pushes barges down the river 8. First type of boat Crossword Puzzle

1 2 O S H T 3 4 B R I D G E S F O A L M A 5 K E E L B O A T 6 O B A R G E 7 T U G B O A T O 8 T C A N O E T

Down: Across: 1. This is the name of the river that separates 3. There are many of these over the river Kentucky from Indiana 5. This boat has a large beam that runs 2. This boat is powered by the heating of water underside of the ship to create control and 4. This boat was built primarily to transport stability goods (coal, fur, timber, agriculture 6. This boat can tow the same amount as 871 products) semi-trucks 7. This boat pushes barges down the river 8. First type of boat Name: ______

Boats and the Ohio River

MMSQDFLATBOATTIZHJ UBSBKLLWBDDERBYFTU HYKPHOIDWWATERSURC XCIBLUWAKKCDBLTDAA NJBROIKETEYUQOEUNN JYAIHSBZZUEJRCAYSO KYRDIVAYVRGLJKMCPE EUGGOIPYOCIBBSBNOG CVEEFLEOFKXVOOOARI ECMVPLCTXCSFEAASTI QQREJEIOXSHVFRTTGD RJFKENTUCKYFALLSYS

Find the following words in the puzzle. Words are hidden and .

BARGE STEAMBOAT BRIDGE KENTUCKY TRANSPORT CANOE LOCKS TUGBOAT DERBY LOUISVILLE WATER FALLS OHIO FLATBOAT RIVER SOLUTION

Boats and the Ohio River

.....FLATBOAT...... L....DERBY.T...... O...WATERS.RC ...B.U..K....LT.AA ..BROI..TE...OE.NN ..AIHS...UE..CA.SO ..RDIV...RGL.KM.PE ..GGOI....IBBSB.O. ..EE.L.....VOOO.R...... L...... EAA.T...... E...... RTT.. ...KENTUCKYFALLS..

Word directions and start points are formatted: (Direction, X, Y)

BARGE (S,3,5) KEELBOAT (SE,9,4) STEAMBOAT (S,15,3) BRIDGE (S,4,4) KENTUCKY (E,4,12) TRANSPORT (S,17,2) CANOE (S,18,3) LOCKS (S,14,4) TUGBOAT (SE,9,5) DERBY (E,11,2) LOUISVILLE (S,6,2) WATER (E,10,3) FALLS (E,12,12) OHIO (S,5,5) FLATBOAT (E,6,1) RIVER (SE,10,7)