Timeline story

Jefferson, Ky. · Clark, Ind. · Frontier · 1778

Falls of the Ohio

About 390 million years ago a shallow Devonian sea laid down the Jeffersonville Limestone — coral banks and stromatoporoid sponges now exposed at the Falls of the Ohio.

Those hard shelves made the only major rapids on the river, so flatboats had to portage; Louisville and the Indiana towns grew at that choke point (George Rogers Clark staged from Corn Island in 1778). National Natural Landmark since 1966.

Cite this story

Published . Last revised .

Chicago

Snowden, Shannon. "Falls of the Ohio." Kentucky History Drive. Published September 12, 2026. Last revised September 12, 2026. https://kyhistorydrive.com/stories/falls-of-the-ohio/.

MLA

Snowden, Shannon. "Falls of the Ohio." Kentucky History Drive, published 12 Sept. 2026, last revised 12 Sept. 2026, https://kyhistorydrive.com/stories/falls-of-the-ohio/.

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