35 Small City Natural Environment • Feature • RiverWise narrative and reshape public imagination about what its communities can become. Rivers: Local Identity and Regional Ties Beaver County, Pennsylvania borders Ohio and is shaped both geographically and historically by the Ohio River and the Beaver River, which meet at a central confluence within the heart of the county. The Ohio River flows northward before turning west into Ohio. The Beaver River runs south to meet it, forming an important confluence where development and industry once grew. The county’s primary cities and boroughs trace these waterways. Along the Beaver River sit communities such as Beaver Falls, New Brighton, Fallston, Eastvale, and Bridgewater. Along the Ohio River are Ambridge, Baden, Monaca, Rochester, and Aliquippa. By the mid-20th century, these waterways had helped position Beaver County as one of the most industrially significant counties – ranked seventh largest in industrial output in the country. The rivers were essential for transporting coal, steel, and manufactured goods, and their confluence became the center of a massive industrial corridor. Railroads soon paralleled the riverbanks, further accelerating production and streamlining the movement of materials to regional and national markets.
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