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The flow of history in many ways is tied to the rivers that flow through our wonderful communities. Ever take a look at a map and notice how many towns and cities are located on rivers? Or even more interesting, how many communities are located at the intersection where two rivers meet? Or even three rivers, like Pittsburgh? Fascinating. And makes so much sense – given the importance of waterways for transportation and commerce in earlier days. Then, of course, cities and towns grew up around the rivers. And today, the rivers are deeply intertwined with our communities and the lives of the people who live there.
In my hometown of Newport, New Hampshire, the Sugar River flows right down through the middle of town and eventually makes its way to the Connecticut River 15 miles away. As you go through Newport, as well as the neighboring community of Claremont on the way to the Connecticut River, you can spot the old mills – the old brick buildings – former textile mills – that today are going through a rebirth and revitalization. Some are functioning as office space, others as beautiful apartments, overlooking the river, and some even as restaurants or hotels. But, in all cases, the river continues to be an integral part of the community experience.
What is true in Newport, has its roots in history. Back in 1804, two explorers by the name of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were given instructions by then President Thomas Jefferson that would change the course of our nation’s history forever. "The object of your mission is to explore the Missouri River and its streams and find the most direct route across this continent for the purposes of commerce."
So, Lewis and Clark, along with their Corps of Discovery which included 40 men trained in skills from map making to fur trapping, blacksmithing to carpentry, set out on a journey along the longest river in the United States, the Missouri River. Some days they would travel as little as 5 miles, other days they’d do 20. Along the way they would discover over 178 plant species, 122 animal species, 50 Native American tribes, 24 of which hadn’t ever seen a white person before, and most importantly, a pathway to the Pacific Ocean that would eventually become part of the United States of America. When writing about the expedition, Lewis would go on to say, “It seemed those scenes of visionary enchantment would never end.”
Throughout the world, rivers are the lifeline of so many communities and countries. Iconic names like the Thames in the UK, the Seine in France, the Nile in Egypt, the Amazon in Brazil, and the Mississippi in the U.S. symbolize not just bodies of water, but vast watersheds that connect people, places, and other forms of life, inspiring and sustaining diverse cultural beliefs, values, and ways of life. Rivers are a vitally important lifeline to our communities and our way of life. They provide us with not only food, water, and recreation, but they also have incredible social, cultural, scientific, and economic benefits as well.
In the United States alone, there are over 3.5 million miles of rivers. They’re often referred to as the lifeblood of our society because the natural value they bring to our communities far exceeds the value of man-made infrastructure. They’re essential to our histories and cultures, blending their way through our heritage, as we see right here in the State of New Hampshire where many of the mills that once thrived here achieved their place in history thanks to the abundance of rivers and streams throughout the state. Yet the incredible value of rivers tends to lack recognition as we’ve become more urban. Beyond the sheer economic value, rivers connect communities and people to one another in ways that even lakes or oceans cannot, and for this reason alone they should be defended and championed. And even more so, we celebrate the unifying qualities of the rivers that give our communities energy and life.
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