I is for IRONTON, OH

by Kathy Cannon Wiechman

My novel LIKE A RIVER travels through several states, but it begins and ends in Lawrence County, Ohio. Why did I choose Lawrence County? Because that’s where Ironton is.

Ironton is where my father was born and grew up. I spent many summer days there when I was young, visiting with Grandma Cannon and aunts, uncles, and cousins. Going there for research gave me a chance to visit family.

www.sbu.edu

Ironton is a small town compared to Cincinnati (where I live), an Ohio River town with gently rolling hills. It’s a place where people know their neighbors—and care about them. It’s a place I feel comfortable.

As its name suggests, Ironton is an iron and steel town. During the Civil War (when my novel takes place), the foundry there produced mostly cannons for the war effort.

www.appalachianhistory.net

Most of its residents favored the Union side—but many did not. After all, Kentucky is just across the river.

www.riverboatdaves.com

Actually, three states edge together there. Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia. (I remember from childhood that the TV stations in Ironton were broadcast from Huntington, WV.) Ironton is peppered with Southern flavor, from the accents of its people to its hospitality and charm. It was a flavor I wanted to capture in my book.