The
Allegheny River is a principal
tributaryA tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the
Ohio RiverThe Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
; it is located in the
Eastern United StatesThe Eastern United States, the American East, or simply the East is traditionally defined as the states east of the Mississippi River. The first two tiers of states west of the Mississippi have traditionally been considered part of the West, but can be included in the East today; usually in...
. The Allegheny River joins with the
Monongahela RiverThe Monongahela River is a river on the Allegheny Plateau in north-central West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania in the United States...
to form the Ohio River at the "Point" of
Point State ParkPoint State Park is a Pennsylvania state park on in Downtown Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA, at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers, forming the Ohio River....
in Downtown Pittsburgh,
PennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. The Allegheny River is, by volume, the main headstream of the Ohio River.
Geography
The
riverA river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
is approximately 325 miles (523 km) long, running through the
U.S. stateA U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
s of
New YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and
PennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. It drains a rural
dissected plateauA dissected plateau is a plateau area that has been severely eroded so that the relief is sharp. Such an area may be referred to as mountainous, but dissected plateaus are distinguishable from orogenic mountain belts by the lack of folding, metamorphism, extensive faulting, or magmatic activity...
of 11580 square miles (29,992.1 km²) in the northern
Allegheny PlateauThe Allegheny Plateau is a large dissected plateau area in western and central New York, northern and western Pennsylvania, northern and western West Virginia, and eastern Ohio...
, providing the northeastern most drainage in the watershed of the Mississippi River. Its tributaries reach to within 8 miles (12.9 km) of
Lake ErieLake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
in southwestern New York.
The Allegheny Valley has been one of the most productive areas of
fossil fuelFossil fuels are fuels formed by natural processes such as anaerobic decomposition of buried dead organisms. The age of the organisms and their resulting fossil fuels is typically millions of years, and sometimes exceeds 650 million years...
extraction in U.S. history, with its extensive deposits of
coalCoal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
,
petroleumPetroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
, and
natural gasNatural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
.
Etymology
The word
Allegheny comes from the
LenapeThe Lenape are an Algonquian group of Native Americans of the Northeastern Woodlands. They are also called Delaware Indians. As a result of the American Revolutionary War and later Indian removals from the eastern United States, today the main groups live in Canada, where they are enrolled in the...
(Delaware)
IndiansNative Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
. Although the meaning has sometimes been given as "fine river" or "beautiful river," the etymology is not definitively known. There is a Lenape legend of a tribe called "Allegewi" who used to live along the river.
The following account of the origin of the name
Allegheny was given in 1780 by Moravian missionary
David ZeisbergerDavid Zeisberger was a Moravian clergyman and missionary among the Native Americans in the Thirteen Colonies...
: "All this land and region, stretching as far as the creeks and waters that flow into the Alleghene the Delawares called Alligewinenk, which means 'a land into which they came from distant parts'. The river itself, however, is called Alligewi Sipo. The whites have made Alleghene out of this, the Six Nations calling the river the Ohio."
Other Indians, such as the
IroquoisThe Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
, considered the Allegheny and Ohio rivers as the same, as is suggested by a New York State road sign on
Interstate 86Interstate 86 is an Interstate Highway that extends for through northwestern Pennsylvania and southern New York in the United States...
that refers to the Allegheny River also as
O Hi Yo. The
Geographic Names Information SystemThe Geographic Names Information System is a database that contains name and locative information about more than two million physical and cultural features located throughout the United States of America and its territories. It is a type of gazetteer...
lists
O-hee-yo and
O-hi-o as variant names. In New York, areas around the river are often named with the alternate spelling
Allegany in reference to the river; for example, the
Village of AlleganyAllegany is a village in Cattaraugus County, New York, USA. The population was 1,883 at the 2000 census.The Village of Allegany is by the east town line of the Town of Allegany, west of the City of Olean.St...
and
Allegany State ParkAllegany State Park is a state park in western New York State, located in Cattaraugus County just north of Allegheny National Forest in Pennsylvania. The park is divided into two sections: The Red House Area and the Quaker Run Area. It lies within the Allegheny Highlands forests ecoregion.The Red...
.
Course
The Allegheny River rises in north central Pennsylvania, on Cobb Hill in central
Potter CountyPotter County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is in the Allegheny Plateau region. As of 2010, the population was 17,457. Its county seat is Coudersport. Potter County was named after James Potter, who was a general from Pennsylvania in the Continental Army during the...
, approximately 10 miles (16 km) south of the New York border. It flows west past
CoudersportCoudersport is a borough in Potter County, Pennsylvania, east by south of Erie on the Allegheny River. The populations were these: 1,530 in 1890; 3,217 in 1900; and 3,100 in 1910. The population was 2,650 at the 2000 census...
then turns north into western New York, looping westward across southern
Cattaraugus CountyCattaraugus County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 80,317. The county seat is Little Valley.-History:...
for approximately 30 miles (48 km), past Portville,
OleanOlean is a city in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. Olean is the largest city in Cattaraugus County, and serves as the financial, business, transportation and entertainment center of the county. It is one of the principal cities of the Southern Tier region of New York.The city is...
,
St. Bonaventure UniversitySt. Bonaventure University is a private, Franciscan Catholic university, located in Allegany, Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. It has roughly 2,400 undergraduate and graduate students....
and
SalamancaSalamanca is a city in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States, located inside the Allegany Indian Reservation. The population was 6,097 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
and flowing through Seneca Indian Nation lands close to the northern boundary of
Allegany State ParkAllegany State Park is a state park in western New York State, located in Cattaraugus County just north of Allegheny National Forest in Pennsylvania. The park is divided into two sections: The Red House Area and the Quaker Run Area. It lies within the Allegheny Highlands forests ecoregion.The Red...
before re-entering northwestern Pennsylvania approximately 20 miles (32 km) southeast of
JamestownJamestown is a city in Chautauqua County, New York in the United States. The population was 31,146 at the 2010 census.The City of Jamestown is adjacent to Town of Ellicott and is at the southern tip of Chautauqua Lake...
, New York.
It flows in a broad zigzag course generally southward across
Western PennsylvaniaWestern Pennsylvania consists of the western third of the state of Pennsylvania in the United States. Pittsburgh is the largest city in the region, with a metropolitan area population of about 2.4 million people, and serves as its economic and cultural center. Erie, Altoona, and Johnstown are its...
; first flowing southwest past
WarrenWarren is a city in Warren County, Pennsylvania, United States, located along the Allegheny River. The population was 9,710 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Warren County. It is home to the headquarters of the Allegheny National Forest and the Cornplanter State Forest...
, Tidioute,
TionestaAs of the census of 2000, there were 615 people , 282 households, and 166 families residing in the borough. A more recent estimate has Tionesta's population being 592, a loss of 3.69%. The population density was 457.5 people per square mile . There were 337 housing units at an average density of...
,
Oil CityOil City is a city in Venango County, Pennsylvania that is known in the initial exploration and development of the petroleum industry. After the first oil wells were drilled nearby in the 1850s, Oil City became central in the petroleum industry while hosting headquarters for the Pennzoil, Quaker...
, and Franklin, forming much of the northwestern boundary of
Allegheny National ForestThe Allegheny National Forest is a National Forest located in northwestern Pennsylvania. The forest covers of land. Within the forest is Kinzua Dam, which impounds the Allegheny River to form Allegheny Reservoir. The administrative headquarters for the Allegheny National Forest is located in Warren...
. South of Franklin it turns southeast across
Clarion CountyAs of the census of 2000, there were 41,765 people, 16,052 households, and 10,738 families residing in the county. The population density was 69 people per square mile . There were 19,426 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
in a
meanderA meander in general is a bend in a sinuous watercourse. A meander is formed when the moving water in a stream erodes the outer banks and widens its valley. A stream of any volume may assume a meandering course, alternately eroding sediments from the outside of a bend and depositing them on the...
ing course, then turns again southwest across
Armstrong CountyArmstrong County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 68,941. It is located northeast of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. Armstrong County was added to the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area in 2003.The county seat is Kittanning...
, flowing past
KittanningKittanning is a borough and the county seat of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania in the United States. It is situated northeast of Pittsburgh, along the east bank of the Allegheny River. The name means "at the great stream" in the Delaware language...
,
Ford CityFord City is a borough in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, United States, northeast of Pittsburgh along the east bank of the Allegheny River and 4 miles south of Kittanning, the county seat....
, Clinton, and
FreeportFreeport is a borough in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, United States; it is situated along the Allegheny River in the southwest corner of the county. The population was 1,962 at the 2000 Census. Freeport received its name from David Todd, who declared it to be a free-port where no man would be...
.
The river enters both
AlleghenyAllegheny County is a county in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,223,348; making it the second most populous county in Pennsylvania, following Philadelphia County. The county seat is Pittsburgh...
and
Westmoreland-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 369,993 people, 149,813 households, and 104,569 families residing in the county. The population density was 361 people per square mile . There were 161,058 housing units at an average density of 157 per square mile...
counties, the Pittsburgh suburbs, and the City of Pittsburgh from the northeast. It passes Sligo,
KarnsKarns is an unincorporated community in Harrison Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA; it is located in Western Pennsylvania within the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area, approximately northeast of Pittsburgh. Karns is situated along the Allegheny River at Pool 4 across from Jacks...
, and
NatronaNatrona is an unincorporated community in Harrison Township, Allegheny County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is located in Western Pennsylvania within the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area, approximately northeast of Downtown Pittsburgh...
in
Harrison TownshipHarrison Township is a township in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 10,461 at the 2010 census. Pennsylvania Route 28 passes through Harrison Township connecting Kittanning to the northeast and Pittsburgh to the southwest. Allegheny Technologies has extensive steel...
; Metcalf, Braeburn,
Lower BurrellLower Burrell is a city in Westmoreland County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Located approximately 18 miles northeast of Downtown Pittsburgh, Lower Burrell is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area...
, and
New KensingtonNew Kensington is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania situated along the Allegheny River northeast of Pittsburgh. The population was 14,701 at the 2000 Census. The mayor of New Kensington is Tom Guzzo , elected in 2009. He succeeded Mayor Frank E. Link , elected in 2001.-History:New...
; Brackenridge, Tarentum, Creighton, Clyde, Springdale, Harmarville, Blawnox, Fox Chapel, Sharpsburg, Etna, Millvale, Lawrenceville, Highland Park, the North Side, Downtown Pittsburgh, and Point State Park. The Allegheny joins with the
Monongahela RiverThe Monongahela River is a river on the Allegheny Plateau in north-central West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania in the United States...
at the "Point" in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to form the
Ohio RiverThe Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
.
Water from the Allegheny River eventually flows into the
Gulf of MexicoThe Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
via the Ohio and
MississippiThe Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
rivers.
Tributaries
In its upper reaches, the Allegheny River is joined from the south by
Potato CreekThis article is about the Pennsylvania river known as Potato Creek. For the Indiana State park, go to Potato Creek State Park.Potato Creek is a tributary of the Allegheny River in McKean County, Pennsylvania in the United States....
1.7 miles (2.7 km) downstream of
CoryvilleCoryville is an unincorporated village in McKean County, Pennsylvania. It is located along Pennsylvania Route 46 between the boroughs of Smethport and Eldred, on the border of Keating and Eldred townships. Coryville has a Baptist church and the Coryville Little League field.- References :...
, Pennsylvania and from the north by Olean Creek at Olean, New York. Tunungwant "Tuna" Creek joins the river from the south in Carrollton, New York (flowing north from Bradford, Pennsylvania); the Great Valley Creek and Little Valley Creek join the river from the north at Salamanca, New York before becoming the
Allegheny ReservoirThe Allegheny Reservoir is a reservoir along the Allegheny River in Pennsylvania and New York, USA. It was created in 1965 by the construction of the Kinzua Dam along the river.-History:...
.
After re-entering Pennsylvania, the river is joined from the east by
Kinzua CreekKinzua Creek is a tributary of the Allegheny River in McKean County, Pennsylvania in the United States.The upper reaches of the creek pass through Kinzua Bridge State Park, where the creek was spanned by the Kinzua Viaduct until a tornado destroyed the viaduct in 2003.Kinzua Creek joins the...
10 miles (16.1 km) upstream of Warren; from the north by
Conewango CreekConewango Creek is a tributary of the Allegheny River in Pennsylvania and western New York in the United States.The creek's drainage covers much of southeastern Chautauqua County, New York and southwestern Cattaraugus County, New York. The creek's most notable tributary is the Chadakoin River,...
at Warren; from the west by Brokenstraw Creek; from the east by East Hickory Creek at East Hickory; from the east by
Tionesta CreekTionesta Creek is a tributary of the Allegheny River in Forest, Clarion, Warren, McKean, and Elk Counties in Pennsylvania in the United States. Together with its West Branch, Tionesta Creek is long, flows generally south, and its watershed is in area....
at Tionesta; from the north by Oil Creek at Oil City; from the west by
French CreekFrench Creek is a tributary of the Allegheny River in northwestern Pennsylvania and western New York in the United States.- Etymology :...
at Franklin; from the east by the
Clarion RiverThe Clarion River is a tributary of the Allegheny River, approximately 110 mi long, in west central Pennsylvania in the United States...
, a principal tributary, at Parker; from the east by
Crooked CreekCrooked Creek is a tributary of the Allegheny River in both Armstrong and Indiana counties in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.-Course:Crooked Creek joins the Allegheny River in both Bethel and Manor townships.- Tributaries :...
southeast of Kittanning; and from the east by the
Kiskiminetas RiverThe Kiskiminetas River is a tributary of the Allegheny River, approximately long, in Western Pennsylvania in the United States...
, another principal tributary, at Schenley.
Buffalo CreekBuffalo Creek is a tributary of the Allegheny River in Armstrong and Butler counties in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.-Course:Buffalo Creek joins the Allegheny River at the borough of Freeport.-Tributaries:...
enters at Freeport,
Chartiers RunChartiers Run is a tributary of the Allegheny River located in Westmoreland County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.-Course:Chartiers Run joins the Allegheny River at the city of Lower Burrell.-External links:*...
enters at Lower Burrell,
Bull CreekBull Creek is a tributary of the Allegheny River in Allegheny and Butler counties, Pennsylvania in the United States.-Course:Bull Creek joins the Allegheny River at the borough of Tarentum.-Tributaries:...
enters at Tarentum,
Pucketa CreekPucketa Creek is a tributary of the Allegheny River located in both Allegheny and Westmoreland counties in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.-Course:...
enters near New Kensington,
Riddle RunRiddle Run is a tributary of the Allegheny River located in Allegheny County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.-Course:Riddle Run joins the Allegheny River at the borough of Springdale.-See also:* List of rivers of Pennsylvania...
enters at Springdale, and
Girtys RunGirtys Run is a tributary of the Allegheny River located in Allegheny County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.-Course:Girtys Run joins the Allegheny River at the borough of Millvale.-External links:*...
enters at Millvale. Many additional
streamA stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
s enter or join with the Allegheny River along its course.
River modifications
Navigation
The Allegheny River has eight locks and dams (numbered two through nine), which form corresponding pools.
Flood control
The river is also impounded by the
Kinzua DamThe Kinzua Dam, in the Allegheny National Forest in Warren County, Pennsylvania, is one of the largest dams in the United States east of the Mississippi River....
in northwestern Pennsylvania, resulting in the
Allegheny ReservoirThe Allegheny Reservoir is a reservoir along the Allegheny River in Pennsylvania and New York, USA. It was created in 1965 by the construction of the Kinzua Dam along the river.-History:...
. The
Seneca Pumped Storage Generating StationThe Seneca Pumped Storage Generating Station is a hydroelectric power plant using pumped storage of water to generate electric power. It is located near Warren, Pennsylvania in Warren County....
is associated with Kinzua Dam.
Crossings
Numerous bridges and tunnels span the river throughout its course. The Allegheny River Tunnel for
Pittsburgh Light RailThe Pittsburgh Light Rail is a light rail system in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; it functions as a subway in Downtown Pittsburgh and largely as an at-grade light rail service in the suburbs. The system is owned and operated by the Port Authority of Allegheny County...
is under construction as of 2010.
History
In the 16th century, control of the river
valleyIn geology, a valley or dale is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. A very deep river valley may be called a canyon or gorge.The terms U-shaped and V-shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys...
passed back-and-forth between
AlgonquianThe Algonquian languages also Algonkian) are a subfamily of Native American languages which includes most of the languages in the Algic language family. The name of the Algonquian language family is distinguished from the orthographically similar Algonquin dialect of the Ojibwe language, which is a...
-speaking
ShawneeThe Shawnee, Shaawanwaki, Shaawanooki and Shaawanowi lenaweeki, are an Algonquian-speaking people native to North America. Historically they inhabited the areas of Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Western Maryland, Kentucky, Indiana, and Pennsylvania...
and the
IroquoisThe Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
. By the time of the arrival of the
FrenchThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in the early 18th century, the Shawnee were once again in control and formed an alliance with the French against the incursion of
BritishThe former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
settlement across the
Allegheny MountainsThe Allegheny Mountain Range , also spelled Alleghany, Allegany and, informally, the Alleghenies, is part of the vast Appalachian Mountain Range of the eastern United States and Canada...
. The conflict over the expansion of British settlement into the Allegheny Valley and the surrounding
Ohio CountryThe Ohio Country was the name used in the 18th century for the regions of North America west of the Appalachian Mountains and in the region of the upper Ohio River south of Lake Erie...
was a primary cause of the
French and Indian WarThe French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
in the 1750s. During the war, the village of
KittanningKittanning was an 18th century Native American village in the Ohio Country, located on the Allegheny River at present-day Kittanning, Pennsylvania. The village was at the western terminus of the Kittanning Path, an Indian trail that provided a route across the Alleghenies between the Ohio and...
– the principal Shawnee settlement on the river – was
completely destroyedThe Kittanning Expedition, also known as the Armstrong Expedition or the Battle of Kittanning, was a raid during the French and Indian War that led to the destruction of the American Indian village of Kittanning, which had served as a staging point for attacks by Delaware warriors against...
by British reprisal raids from Central Pennsylvania.
Nevertheless, the British, after gaining control of the area in the 1763
Treaty of ParisThe Treaty of Paris, often called the Peace of Paris, or the Treaty of 1763, was signed on 10 February 1763, by the kingdoms of Great Britain, France and Spain, with Portugal in agreement. It ended the French and Indian War/Seven Years' War...
, kept the area closed to white settlement, in part to repair and maintain relations with the Native Americans. The pressure to open the river valley and the surrounding area to settlement is considered by historians to be one of the root causes of the
American Revolutionary WarThe American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
in the following decade.
During the 19th century, the river became a principal means of navigation in the upper Ohio valley, especially for the transport of coal. Although the building of the railroads lessened the importance of the river somewhat, the lower river (navigable as far as
East BradyEast Brady is a borough in Clarion County, Pennsylvania, United States and is part of the Pittsburgh DMA. The population was 1,038 at the 2000 census.-History:East Brady is named after Captain Samuel Brady, who fought with Native Americans at that location....
, Pennsylvania through locks) has continued to serve as route of commercial transportation until the present day. In 1859, the first U.S. petroleum was drilled north of the river at
TitusvilleTitusville is a city in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,146 at the 2000 census. In 1859, oil was successfully drilled in Titusville, resulting in the birth of the modern oil industry.-History:...
.
One of the underlying premises of the
Genesee Valley Canal- History :On 6 May 1836, an act was passed in the New York Legislature authorizing the construction of the Genesee Valley Canal. It was to run from the Erie Canal on the south side of Rochester south-southwest along the Genesee River valley to Mount Morris, Portageville, and Belfast, and then...
was its connection to the river, opening a trade route from
RochesterRochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, New York to the west. The advent of the railroads destroyed any interest that Pennsylvania might have had in participating by improving navigation on the river.
In 1965, the completion of the federally-sponsored
Kinzua DamThe Kinzua Dam, in the Allegheny National Forest in Warren County, Pennsylvania, is one of the largest dams in the United States east of the Mississippi River....
for
floodA flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
-control in northwestern Pennsylvania east of Warren created the long
Allegheny ReservoirThe Allegheny Reservoir is a reservoir along the Allegheny River in Pennsylvania and New York, USA. It was created in 1965 by the construction of the Kinzua Dam along the river.-History:...
, part of which is included in the
Allegheny National Recreation AreaThe Allegheny National Recreation Area is a National Recreation Area of the United States. It is located in northwestern Pennsylvania, and is administered by the United States Forest Service as part of the Allegheny National Forest. The Area consists of on three separate parcels of land within...
. The dam flooded parts of lands deeded "forever" to the Seneca Nation of Indians by the 1794
Treaty of CanandaiguaThe Treaty of Canandaigua is a treaty signed after the American Revolutionary War between the Grand Council of the Six Nations and President George Washington representing the United States of America....
, and to lands given to
CornplanterGaiänt'wakê was a Seneca war-chief. He was the son of a Seneca mother, Aliquipiso, and a Dutch father, Johannes Abeel. He also carried the name John Abeel after his fur trader father...
and his descendants. The event was described in the
Johnny CashJohn R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
song "As Long as the Grass Shall Grow" from the 1964 album
Bitter Tears: Ballads of the American IndianBitter Tears: Ballads of the American Indian is a concept album and nineteenth album released by country singer Johnny Cash in 1964 on Columbia Records. It is one of several Americana records by Cash; as its title implies, the tracks on the album focus exclusively on the history of and problems...
, which focused on the history of and problems facing Native Americans in the United States.
The construction of the dam and the filling of the Allegheny Reservoir also necessitated the elimination of the small village of Corydon, which was located at the confluence of Willow Creek with the Allegheny River; and the small village of Kinzua, which was located at the confluence of Kinzua Creek with the Allegheny River. All residents of both villages were forced to move.
Many prominent individuals opposed the construction of the dam at that time because of the damage it would do to Seneca lands, including Pennsylvania Congressman
John P. SaylorJohn Phillips Saylor was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.Saylor was born in Conemaugh Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 1929, and Dickinson School of Law in Carlisle,...
of
JohnstownJohnstown is a city in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States, west-southwest of Altoona, Pennsylvania and east of Pittsburgh. The population was 20,978 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Cambria County...
, and
Howard ZahniserHoward Clinton Zahniser was an American environmental activist. Zahniser is noted for being the primary author of the Wilderness Act of 1964....
, executive director of
The Wilderness SocietyThe Wilderness Society is an American organization that is dedicated to protecting America's wilderness. It was formed in 1935 and currently has over 300,000 members and supporters.-Founding:The society was incorporated on January 21, 1935...
and native of Tionesta—a small settlement located along the Allegheny River several miles downstream from Warren. During the campaign for the 1960 United States presidential election,
John F. KennedyJohn Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
assured the Seneca Nation that he would oppose the dam if elected. However, he failed to follow through on his pledge upon becoming president.
In 1992, 86.6 miles (139.4 km) of the Allegheny River was designated
Wild and ScenicNational Wild and Scenic River is a designation for certain protected areas in the United States.The National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act was an outgrowth of the recommendations of a Presidential commission, the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission...
. This designation comprises three segments of the river located in
WarrenWarren County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 41,815. It was formed in 1800 from parts of Allegheny and Lycoming counties; attached to Crawford County until 1805 and then to Venango County until Warren was formally organized in 1819. Its county...
,
ForestForest County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population is 7,716. Forest County is famous as a rural retreat. Nearly 75% of all dwellings in the county are second or vacation homes . Forest County does not have a single traffic light, the only county in the...
, and
VenangoVenango County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 54,984. Its county seat is Franklin.-History:Venango County was created on March 12, 1800 from parts of Allegheny and Lycoming Counties...
counties.
In 2008,
Katie SpotzKatie Spotz is an American adventurer who became the youngest person to row solo across the Atlantic Ocean, departing from Dakar, Senegal on January 3, 2010, and landing in Guyana on March 14, 2010...
became the first person to swim the entire 325 miles (523 km) of the Allegheny River; she was accompanied by safety kayaker, James Hendershott. The team began at the river's source in Raymond, Pennsylvania on July 22 and finished at the "Point" in Downtown Pittsburgh on August 21.
Settlements along the river
New York
- Allegany
Allegany is a village in Cattaraugus County, New York, USA. The population was 1,883 at the 2000 census.The Village of Allegany is by the east town line of the Town of Allegany, west of the City of Olean.St...
- Carrollton
Carrollton is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 1,410 at the 2000 census. The name comes from an early settler.The Town of Carrollton is on the south border of Cattaraugus County...
- Olean
- Portville
Portville is a village in Cattaraugus County, New York, USA. The population was 1,024 at the 2000 census. The Village of Portville is within the south part of the Town of Portville and southeast of Olean, New York.- History :...
- St. Bonaventure
St. Bonaventure is a census-designated place and community located in the Town of Allegany in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 2,127 at the 2000 census....
- Salamanca
Salamanca is a city in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States, located inside the Allegany Indian Reservation. The population was 6,097 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
- Weston Mills
Weston Mills is a hamlet located in the Town of Portville in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 1,608 at the 2000 census....
Pennsylvania
- Applewold
Applewold is a borough in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 356 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Applewold is located at ....
- Arnold
Arnold is a city in Westmoreland County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is a suburb of Pittsburgh, part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The population was 5,667 at the 2000 census.-History:...
- Aspinwall
Aspinwall is a borough on the Allegheny River in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. It is essentially a residential place. In 1900, 1,231 people resided in Aspinwall, and that number rose to 2,592 in 1910, and 3,170 by 1920...
- Blawnox
Blawnox is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,432 at the 2010 census.-Name:The name, Blawnox, is derived from the Blaw-Knox Company, which had a manufacturing plant there providing much of the town's employment...
- Brackenridge
Brackenridge is a borough in Allegheny County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, along the Allegheny River. It is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area.The town is named for Henry Marie Brackenridge. The borough once had glass factories...
- Cadogan
Cadogan Township is a township in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 390 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-Demographics:As of the census of...
- Cheswick
Cheswick is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,746 at the 2010 census.-History:Cheswick, named for a town in England, is a small town of about . The history of the lands of Cheswick seems to have belonged to the Keen family at least in part, for Archie...
- Coudersport
Coudersport is a borough in Potter County, Pennsylvania, east by south of Erie on the Allegheny River. The populations were these: 1,530 in 1890; 3,217 in 1900; and 3,100 in 1910. The population was 2,650 at the 2000 census...
- East Brady
East Brady is a borough in Clarion County, Pennsylvania, United States and is part of the Pittsburgh DMA. The population was 1,038 at the 2000 census.-History:East Brady is named after Captain Samuel Brady, who fought with Native Americans at that location....
- Eldred
Eldred is a borough in McKean County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 858 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Eldred is located at ....
- Emlenton
Emlenton is a borough located mostly in Venango County, in the southeastern corner of the county, with a small portion located in Clarion County in Pennsylvania. The population was 784 at the 2000 census...
- Etna
Etna is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, on the Allegheny River, opposite Pittsburgh. It flourished in the past when it was the site of rolling mills, furnaces, steel mills, galvanized-pipe works, and other manufacturers. In 1900, 5,384 people lived in Etna. In 1910, 5,830 lived there,...
- Ford City
Ford City is a borough in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, United States, northeast of Pittsburgh along the east bank of the Allegheny River and 4 miles south of Kittanning, the county seat....
- Foxburg
Foxburg is a borough in Clarion County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located along the east bank of the Allegheny River, about two miles north of its confluence with the Clarion River.-History:...
- Franklin
- Freeport
Freeport is a borough in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, United States; it is situated along the Allegheny River in the southwest corner of the county. The population was 1,962 at the 2000 Census. Freeport received its name from David Todd, who declared it to be a free-port where no man would be...
- Harrison Township
Harrison Township is a township in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 10,461 at the 2010 census. Pennsylvania Route 28 passes through Harrison Township connecting Kittanning to the northeast and Pittsburgh to the southwest. Allegheny Technologies has extensive steel...
- Kittanning
Kittanning is a borough and the county seat of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania in the United States. It is situated northeast of Pittsburgh, along the east bank of the Allegheny River. The name means "at the great stream" in the Delaware language...
- Lower Burrell
Lower Burrell is a city in Westmoreland County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Located approximately 18 miles northeast of Downtown Pittsburgh, Lower Burrell is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area...
- Manorville
Manorville is a borough in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 401 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Manorville is located at ....
- Millvale
Millvale is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, along the Allegheny River, opposite Pittsburgh. In the past, it had iron manufactures, saw works, stone works, lumber mills, breweries, etc. In 1900, the number of people residing here totaled 6,736; in 1910, 7,861; and in 1940, 7,811...
- Natrona
Natrona is an unincorporated community in Harrison Township, Allegheny County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is located in Western Pennsylvania within the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area, approximately northeast of Downtown Pittsburgh...
- New Kensington
New Kensington is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania situated along the Allegheny River northeast of Pittsburgh. The population was 14,701 at the 2000 Census. The mayor of New Kensington is Tom Guzzo , elected in 2009. He succeeded Mayor Frank E. Link , elected in 2001.-History:New...
- Oakmont
Oakmont is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA. It is a Pittsburgh suburb and part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The population was 6,303 at the 2010 census....
- Oil City
Oil City is a city in Venango County, Pennsylvania that is known in the initial exploration and development of the petroleum industry. After the first oil wells were drilled nearby in the 1850s, Oil City became central in the petroleum industry while hosting headquarters for the Pennzoil, Quaker...
- O'Hara Township
The Township of O'Hara is a Home Rule Municipality in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania in the United States six miles northeast of Downtown Pittsburgh. The community was long organized as a township, and retains "Township" in its official name, but adopted a home rule charter in 1973 and is no...
- Parker
Parker is a city located in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in the extreme northwestern portion of the county. The population was 799 at the 2000 census. The city was named for John Parker, a lead surveyor of Lawrenceburg....
- Penn Hills
Penn Hills is a large Home Rule Municipality in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population as of the 2010 census was 42,329, making it Pittsburgh's second largest suburb by population.-History:...
- Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
- Plum
Plum is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 27,126 at the 2010 census.Plum is often referred to as "Plum Boro" or more correctly "Plum Borough" by locals to distinguish it from its previous status as a township...
- Port Allegany
Port Allegany is a borough in McKean County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,355 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Port Allegany is located at ....
- Schenley
Schenley is an unincorporated community in Gilpin Township, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, United States. Pennsylvania Route 2062 is the main and only highway into the community. Schenley is bordered by the Allegheny River and the Kiskiminetas River...
- Sharpsburg
Sharpsburg is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, northeast of Pittsburgh, along the Allegheny River. In the past, it had a rolling mill, foundries, machine shops, and manufacturers of varnish, brick, glass, lumber products, wire, hair, felt, and lubricating oil. In 1900, 6,842 people...
- Springdale
Springdale is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, northeast of Pittsburgh along the Allegheny River. The population was 3,405 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Springdale is located at ....
- Tarentum
Tarentum is a borough in Allegheny County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is northeast of Downtown Pittsburgh, along the Allegheny River. Tarentum was an industrial center where plate glass and bottles were manufactured; bricks, lumber, steel and iron novelties, steel billets and sheets,...
- Templeton
Templeton is an unincorporated community in Pine Township, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania in the United States.-References:...
- Tidioute
Tidioute is a borough in Warren County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 792 at the 2000 census. The name is an Iroquoian word meaning "protrusion of land", referring to a sharp bend in the Allegheny River.-Geography:...
- Tionesta
As of the census of 2000, there were 615 people , 282 households, and 166 families residing in the borough. A more recent estimate has Tionesta's population being 592, a loss of 3.69%. The population density was 457.5 people per square mile . There were 337 housing units at an average density of...
- Verona
Verona is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is northeast of downtown Pittsburgh, along the left bank of the Allegheny River. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 2,474.-Industry:...
- Warren
Warren is a city in Warren County, Pennsylvania, United States, located along the Allegheny River. The population was 9,710 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Warren County. It is home to the headquarters of the Allegheny National Forest and the Cornplanter State Forest...
- West Kittanning
West Kittanning is a borough in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,199 at the 2000 census.- Geography :West Kittanning is located at ....
- Youngsville
Youngsville is a borough in Warren County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,834 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Youngsville is located at ....
See also
- Allegheny Islands State Park
Allegheny Islands State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Harmar Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The undeveloped park is composed of three alluvial islands located in the middle of the Allegheny River northeast of Pittsburgh. The islands are just north of the...
- Allegheny Riverfront Park
Allegheny Riverfront Park is a small municipal park along the south bank of the Allegheny River in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's Cultural District...
- List of rivers of New York
- List of rivers of Pennsylvania
- Pittsburgh Flood of 1936
- Pittsburgh Three Rivers Regatta
The Pittsburgh Three Rivers Regatta is an annual motorboat and river festival held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. The festival was founded in 1977 and is often host to an F1 ChampBoat Series race. The F1 race, originally held in 1982, was the first F1 power boat race held in the...
External links