FUN WITH MAPS ISSUE 2026-055

By Steve Kovacs (Introduction by Chuck Gibson)

LOVELAND, OH (April 7, 2026) – This edition of Fun with Maps has puts a little steam in a river town story.

RIVERBOAT TOWN

On April 7, 1788, pioneers came to settle the first area in the Northwest Territory.  They chose a spot in the Ohio County and named it Marietta after the French queen Marie Antionette in honor of the French support during the American Revolution.

Located where the Muskingum River meets the Ohio, the town quickly became a center of transportation with its connection from the East Coast to the newly opened West. 

Today the Ohio River Steamboat Festival is held annually in Marietta to commemorate its glorious river history.

Before the white settlers came to the area, the Hopewell tribe, among others, had  resided there for thousands of years.  The area is well-known for its mound works, built by the indigenous people who lived there.  They serve as monuments to a much earlier culture that valued the land and its resources, as well as celebrating its history.

This map of the Buckeye State from 1838 is by Bradford.

Steve Kovacs and his wife Theresa reside in Loveland, Ohio where they raised their two children. He is a passionate collector of antique maps. Visit his antique map boutique world-on-paper online. Watch for his daily feature Fun with Maps here on Loveland Beacon.