Cuyahoga River

The Cuyahoga River (see § Pronunciation) is a river located in Northeast Ohio that feeds into Lake Erie. The Cuyahoga River bisects the city of Cleveland. As Cleveland emerged as a major manufacturing center, the river became heavily affected by industrial pollution, so much so that it caught fire at least 14 times. When it did so on June 22, 1969, news coverage of the event helped to spur the American environmental movement.