We took a ride the other day and went someplace we had never been before. We went north up Interstate 71 toward Cincinnati, Ohio but turned off and went through Florance, Kentucky then caught a secondary road through Union, Kentucky and came back to Carrollton, Kentucky that way. Along the way we saw a small pull off with a great view of the Ohio River. There was a flag pole there with a sign under it telling a  huge wreak between two riverboats in 1868. As much history as I have studied on the United States and as many fiction books I have read that usually had some sort of refferenc to historic events this was one I had never heard off. 

Walk Along the River

We took a walk in Point Park along the Ohio River

Don't know what this rusty red plant is. Maybe some kind of wild millet.

You can see one of the electric power plants in the distance.

This is looking east.

Found what looks like a patch of Shasta daisies.

This is looking west.

River Flood

Of course as soon as we moved in the Ohio and Kentucky Rivers decided to do a spring flood. Carrollton, KY is where the Kentucky River runs into the Ohio River. I had never seen where two rivers that big came together and found it quite interesting. I had asked our realitor about flooding here and was told it didn't happen very often. In fact it had been 20 years since it had last happened which was in 1997 and it was a small flood compared to the one in the 1960's which was smaller than the really big one in the 1930's. We were told with all the locks and equipment on the rivers there was very little flooding. They even checked to make sure we weren't buying a house in a flood area. Ha Ha. We had only been in our house a few days when the rains came, and were worse north of us in Ohio causing the Ohio River to get above flood stage and the rains here caused the Kentucky River to get above flood stage. The 2 rivers coming together caused a lot of flooding in all the farm land around us (and most of this part of Kentucky is farm land). Many of the roads around us were closed as there were places where the water was across part of the roads. For 4 days we watched the water come up through one of the fields about a quarter of a mile from us. We weren't that worried but were ready to leave if we had to. Thankfully we didn't, but we had seen lots of homes close to the rivers that were under water. Here are a few of the photos I too. I didn't get a lot as I was down with a cold and sinus infection and didn't get out to get good photos.

First 2 are flooded farm fields. Next is one of a forested low area.

This and the rest of the photos are of Point Park in Carrollton where the Ohio and Kentucky come together. These trees are not normally in water. This is part of the Ohio River.

They had just finished putting in new lights in the park and now they were in water. The white sign had a bench under it that we had sat one one day and watched a couple of small boats on the river

 This is the basketball court - under water.

This is a pavilion where picnics are held and sometimes bands play music - under water.

With in a few days the water was mostly gone. What an experience when you first move into a new home in a new town.

Ohio River Barges

 We frequently see barges being pushed either up or down the Ohio River when we go to Carrollton, KY or Madison, IN. I never realized so much freight was still moved from place to place by river barges until we moved here. We were in Point Park at the edge of Carrollton one day recently when we got to see 2 barges pass either on the Ohio River. Here are a few photos of that. Then I got a close up of what the barges were carrying and it looks like coal. I figure it is coal for the power plants that are up and down the river. There are 3 power plants in this area.

 This photo is of a barge on the Ohio River as seen from a look out point above the town of Carrollton, KY

This photo was of the Ohio River and to the left of the river is where the Kentucky River comes into the Ohio River.