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St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Lee Enterprises

Monday, September 14, 2009 9:34 PM CDT
LETTER: Many rivers used word 'Embarras' for logjams

By MICHAEL PRICE, Greenup

This letter is in response to the Sept. 8 column written by F.N. Wright, “The truth behind the name Embarras River.”

Mr. Wright is correct in stating that the name “Embarras” means obstruction.

It is sad that the Indian name for the river has been lost through the negligence of Europeans. A few Indian names for rivers in our surrounding area have not been lost. The Mississippi “Great Water,” the Wabash “water flowing over white stones” and the Ohio “beautiful water.”

Most people today don’t know that the Embarras River was once used like a highway. First by the French voyagers transporting supplies in their canoes to Vincennes and trading with the local Indians along the way. Then by farmers in small flat boats moving supplies to market until around the time of the Civil War.

The French named the river Embarras because of the many logjams they encountered. The word “Embarras” was used in mapping rivers to show locations of logjams.

Lewis and Clark would later use the word “Embarras” on their maps to show the location of logjams on the Missouri River.

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Mike P wrote on Sep 16, 2009 10:34 PM:

" Charleston should be embarrassed, for the way it handled the embarras in the bypass valve at the dam. Keep an eye out for a hyhoe in their next or a future surplus property auction. "

what wrote on Sep 17, 2009 11:21 PM:

" The logjams with deep water under them is where the flatheads are. Catching them is a lot of fun and if you like fish you can't hardly beat good fried flathead. "