Sep 28, 2024 By Roy Hess Sr. 3 min read

Throughout my life of more than eight decades, the Youghiogheny River has been a constant companion.

In my youth, I fished the mostly brackish water with my friends for catfish and suckers and skated on the frozen backwaters in winter. Some folks swam in the river, but several local pools like Lake Forest and Mt. Vernon afforded cleaner alternatives. The many flotation devices common today were not thought of yet and other than a few aluminum or wooden skiffs, floating crafts were rarely seen on the river locally.

Spring rains and run-off would usually swell and muddy the river, sometimes over the banks. In 1936, a major flood occurred along most of the lower Yough, taking one life in Dawson. Some control of drastic changes in water level were achieved by the Youghiogheny Dam in 1944. Despite the protection of the Youghiogheny reservoir, major floodIng occurred on the lower Yough in 1954 with flood waters rising several feet higher than the flood of 1936.

Before sewage plants and other environmental action, the river was treated as a giant sewage system, where, in the heat of summer, garbage and raw sewage created a pungent, identifiable aroma. Combining river odors with the unmistakable sulfur scent from coal burning railroad locomotives and countless beehive coke ovens left no doubt that one was in a railroad/river town, well into the 1970s. While commercial garbage pickup and community-wide sewage disposal are the primary contributors to the Youghiogheny’s rebirth, the development of the abandoned P&LE rail line into what is now the Great Allegheny Trail was a preview of the river’s recreation-driven future. Budding commercialism bloomed with a campground on the riverbank and a canoe rental that would allow boating between Connellsville and Dawson or Layton.

The history of towns along the Youghiogheny show evidence of abundant commercial use of the waterway until the early 20th century. The history of Dawson shows that descendants of John Smilie, an Irish entrepreneur who owned and farmed the land that is now Dawson Borough, had several industries including a boat building factory, a sawmill and a lumber yard near the river. It’s probable that the Smilie family built boats in Dawson then sold them downriver in Pittsburgh and beyond.

Jim Cochran and his brother are recorded by history as stocking beehive coke on huge rafts and floating the rafts to Cincinnati during spring thaws on the river. In addition to the residential pollution, mines along the river expelled sulfur-laden water adding to the demise of aquatic life and possibility of productive use.

The road back has been slow but rewarding, requiring investment and cooperation between multiple agencies and communities. With the cleaning and clearing of the river, sport fishing has returned. The middle Yough has been ranked highly for production of smallmouth bass.

The isolation caused by the covid pandemic was a natural impetus for recreational jaunts, and the river fairly exploded with inflatable watercrafts of all sizes and descriptions, some large enough for a family to float along together.

Area history remains set in stone (or rather, coal), but our river is a moving, changing entity, teeming with life, requiring our care and appreciation. We mustn’t let it down

Roy Hess Sr. is a retired teacher and businessman from Dawson.