The Ohio River flows into the Mississippi at a narrow point of land in southern Illinois, where the city of Cairo lies vulnerable to flooding. Just upstream on the Ohio River, the Tennessee River flows in, immediately upstream of Paducah, Kentucky. This triple junction is a natural midpoint of navigation on the major rivers of the central United States. The Mississippi/Missouri system provides access as far north as Minnesota and as far west as Montana. The Ohio connects to Pennsylvania. The Tennessee system provides river navigation south to Alabama and west to the Appalachian mountains.

Paducah, Kentucky has become something of a headquarters for the river transport industry in the age of diesel towboats and large chains of barges. By virtue of its central location in the network of navigable rivers, it is a favored location for barge lines and the repair and service industries they support. It also provides connection to rail and highway routes, so is a logical point to offload bulk cargoes for distribution by train or truck.

The Ohio and Mississippi Rivers were once home to significant shipbuilding industries. Eighteenth century sailing vessels were built along these rivers and floated to New Orleans to begin their salt water service. The 400-foot landing ship on which my father served during World War Two was built just outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the brought down the Ohio and Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico before being moved to the east coast to prepare for its service in Europe.