An 'Ancient Channel of the Ohio River at Cincinnati. i o i 



At the coming on of the Glacial Period a tongue of ice projecting 

 down the valley from the north and surrounding the "Cincinnati 

 Island" as we may call that high land now covered with suburban 

 homes, forced the water of the Ohio southward, over the water- 

 shed of the Licking, possibly into what is now the Kentucky River 

 gorge. This course was pursued for an indefinite period ; but, 

 when the ice had retired, the river returned to its own channel near 

 Cincinnati. Finding, however, its outlets to the north choked by 

 debris of the glacier, and the former barrier of land between Price 

 Hill and the mouth of the Licking lowered or cut away, it lollovved 

 the line of drainage it holds at the present time. 



If the eye of savage man gazed upon the site of Cincinnati before 

 the Age of Ice, he beheld a vastly different scene from what he 

 would behold now. Standing on the highest point of Mt. Auburn 

 he looked south over a deep, rocky gorge, through which rolled 

 the mighty Ohio. C);i the west was the rocky shore ot Price Hill 

 extending in an unbroken line north and south to Kentucky. 

 The Licking River entered as a tributary here. On the east was 

 another waste of water rolling its dark tide northward, and joining 

 the western branch beyond the hills of Clifton. No broad expanse 

 ■of valley nor of rolling plain lay beneath him; no city was there, 

 teeming with life and humming with industry ; no railroad trains 

 were panting and puffing, holding their way toward sites of 

 unknown towns. But the water swiftly, with sullen roar, 

 reechoing from cliff to cliff pursued its journey toward its unknown 

 grave. No steamer plowed its waters, but dug out or canoe prob- 

 abl)^ carried primitive man from camp to camp, or shore to shore. 

 Where once the imaginary savage stood are now palatial mansions. 

 Where once the waters spread their turbid tide is now a busy 

 city of 400,000 people The water which was once cleft only by 

 the prow of frail canoe is now a highway for many floating palaces. 

 Where once the stream pursued its northward course, the iron 

 horse carries thousands daily to and from their homes in the wide 

 and fertile Mill Creek Valley. Never would all this have been, 

 had not the Glacial Period wrought its wondrous change. But the 

 ice filled the valley and forced the river from its course. When 

 permitted to return, the ancient channel was so filled with debris 

 that a new one must be cut out, leaving the old one to be utilized 

 by man as a way for his iron servant and as a place whereon to 

 build his cities. 



