People wanting to learn about the city's role in the era of the steamboat industry need only to read the new historical plaque at the court street boat landing.

The plaque, courtesy of the Ohio Bicentennial Commission, Tall Stacks, Inc. and the Ohio Historical Society, was dedicated Saturday. Kathey Hoke represented the OHS and Mayor Greg Bauer represented the city during the dedication ceremony.

Captains Mike and Pete Hosemann of the steamboat Chattanooga Star delivered the marker to the citey Friday. They stopped on their way to the Tall Stacks Music Arts Heritage Festival, which is Wednesday in Cincinnati.

"It tells about the importance of the Ohio River in Portsmouth's history," Portsmouth Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Assistant Lisa Carver said, "Portsmouth wouldn't be here without the Ohio River."

The Chamber of Commerce helped coordinate the dedication for the OHS and the Ohio Bicentennial Commission.

"We helped with the rough draft of the text on the plaque," Carver said. "Then it was reviewed by the Ohio Historical Society because there were several things they wanted to see in it. They wanted a lot of dates. And everything we gave them, we had to give them the historcal documentation for it."

The plaque sits atop a stand beside the access road used to launch boats into the river.

JEFF BARRON