Center Street Landing to get historical marker
Published 12:00 am Thursday, September 25, 2003
Slightly more than two weeks after the former John Campbell home received recognition by the Ohio Historical Society, the Center Street Landing will be have a marker as well.
On Oct. 8, the Chattanooga Star, an authentic sidewheeler riverboat, will dock at Ironton's Center Street Landing carrying special cargo - a marker from the Ohio Historical Society designating the landing as a historical site. A dedication ceremony for the marker will be 9 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 9.
Ironton will be one of several spots between Marietta and Cincinnati visited by the riverboat and one of several spots designated as historical sites, said Virginia Bryant, a member of the Ironton Co-Operative Club, which is organizing the ceremony. Center Street Landing, along with the other sites, are being recognized as historical Ohio River industrial hubs.
Bryant, fellow club member Lou Pyles, Dave Milem, who is helping to organize transportation for the event and Mayor Bob Cleary met Wednesday morning to go over plans for the event.
While some aspects of the event, such as entertainment and speakers, have not been finalized at this time, most of the major aspects of it have been. The Star is scheduled to arrive in Ironton at 5:37 p.m. Oct. 8, Bryant said. An evening cruise will begin at 7 p.m. and will last for two hours. At 9 a.m. Oct. 9, the marker will be unveiled during a free public ceremony. Then, the boat will set sail for a cruise to Portsmouth around 1 p.m., for which people may purchase tickets as well.
Due to space constraints, the Wednesday evening cruise will be limited to 60 people, Bryant said. The tickets will cost $12. To make reservations, anyone interested must call the mayor's office. The cruise must be pre-paid.
For the Portsmouth cruise, tickets are $20. Space is limited to approximately 40 people. Milem said Collins Career Center has volunteered to provide transportation back to Ironton for those who go on the Portsmouth cruise.
Some cruise reservations have already been made.
More may arrive later, but two local schools have already confirmed they will be bringing their students to the unveiling. Burlington Elementary's fifth-grade students will come as well as students from the Open Door School. The students will not only get to watch the ceremony, but they will also tour the riverboat.