Transportation

From the first settlers traveling into Lawrence County, Ohio, to the present day, the means of transportation changed, being determined by the location and the date of their arrival. These men were extremely intelligent and developed an area full of timber, hills, wild animals, and rough terrain into a welcoming county full of dreams and adventure. Travel with us through the stories below on how that was made possible.

Airport – Chesapeake, located in Lawrence County, Ohio, was the birthplace of what is now the Tri-State Airport in Huntington, WV. President Roosevelt approved funding of $95,000, and a year later, the Huntington-Ironton-Chesapeake Airport was dedicated.
Big Sandy Valley and its importance in our history.
Bridges – Travel through time with the essential ways of crossing our waterways. From Covered Bridges to the new Ironton-Russell Bridge in 2013, these photos will captivate you.
DT&I Railroad – Photos
DT&I Railroad Story’s
Follow the Rails with Railroad Tales – Read the evolution of the railroads as found in the old newspapers around the Tri-State area of WV, KY, and Southern Ohio. From the Lawrence Register Archives
Reminiscences of Roadbuilding

River Boats and River Men

Because of the proximity of the Ohio River, which runs across the entire southern border of Lawrence County, Ohio, riverboats and rivermen became a vital part of our country’s existence. Many stories have been told, along with pictures, to help capture one’s imagination about what life was like in those early days.

One of the first means of travel was waterways, bringing persons to our area searching for land suitable for their early survival needs. Having the Ohio River as our entire southern border was significant. The fact that we are located within a three-state area brought many righteous men preaching the anti-slavery movements. Ohio was a free state, nested between Virginia and Kentucky, and was pro-slavery, which brought wealthy individuals from various countries determined to make a difference.

The Walton Advertiser, Boone County, Kentucky newspaper publishes the following notation on 19 Dec. 1974, page nine.

In 1905, Mason Countians recounted that the Ohio River had so much ice on it the ferry couldn’t operate. Ice was so thick on the river during the winters of 1913 and 1917 that automobiles crossed on it from Boyd County, Kentucky, to Lawrence County, Ohio.

Read more about the Ohio River and how it impacted Lawrence County, Ohio, by clicking on one of the links below.