In the Industrial Period of the late 1800's, several factories were built in the marsh. The marsh was close to the river, so it was easy to deliver supplies. This wetland was not used to collect or grow food, but as a place to dump waste.
One of the factories built at this marsh used coal to make gas. The factory was put in the marsh because of the danger of explosion. Supplies for the factory were not collected nearby. Coal could have come by boat or train. In this picture, a train is coming along to bring coal. At this time, there was a train operating in nearby New Castle. Coal could also have come by barge or boat. There was more traffic on the river and boats were bigger.
Waste coal tar was dumped into the marsh. Water running by the factory might have carried polluted water into the marsh, too. A lot of smoke is coming from the factory chimneys.
At some time, the flow of water from the river to the marsh was restored. This scene shows a sluice gate connecting the marsh land to the river. The first sluice gates let water flow out of the marsh when it got flooded, but did not let water flow into the marsh from the river.
The invasive reed Phragmites is shown growing in the marsh. This plant takes over the marshes and forces out a lot of the native plants. Marsh animals depend on native plants for food, so Phragmites is bad for the marsh animals, too.
At this time, the marsh was not a productive place for plants, animals, or people. The animals are dying or trying to escape the polluted air, land and water.
