Cumberland River - History

History

The Cumberland River was called Wasioto by Native Americans and Rivere des Chaouanons, or "river of the Shawnee," by French traders. The river was also known as the Shawnee River (or Shawanoe River) for years after Walker's trip.

In 1750, Dr. Thomas Walker led a party of hunters across the Appalachian Mountains from Virginia, mapped and named the river for Prince William, Duke of Cumberland.

Important first as a passage for hunters and settlers, the Cumberland River also supported later riverboat trade which reached to the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. Villages, towns and cities were located at landing points along its banks. Through the middle of the 19th century, settlers depended on rivers for trading and travel.

In more recent history, a number of severe floods have struck various regions that the river flows through. In April of 1977, Harlan, KY and many surrounding communities were inundated with floodwaters, destroying most of the homes and businesses within the flood plain of the Cumberland River. This event led to the building of the Martins Fork Dam for flood control, the diversion of the Poor Fork around the city of Harlan, KY, as well as the diversion of the river through a mountain cut in Loyall, KY.

In late April and early May 2010, due to extensive rains, the Cumberland River overflowed its banks and flooded Nashville and Clarksville. The downtown area was ordered to evacuate.