Brief history of Brickyard Bend

Named by boat captains for many brick works shipping from area. John Gamble first mined clay in 1830; James Porter had first brick works in 1832 ; five works in 1844 produced 1.5 million bricks. Later, over 20 plants, using loca clay, gas and coal. Including Captain John Porter's Clifton, Mack, and Crescent, employed hundreds of workers and produced millions of brick yearly. First shipped on the Ohio River; after 1886 also by Pennsylvania Rail Road.