The paddle steamer slows down, the bell rings, and a row of 19th-century brick houses appears behind the trees along the bank: Augusta, Kentucky, population twelve hundred, reveals itself entirely at first glance. River ships travelling the Ohio dock right against the grassy bank, just a few dozen metres from Main Street. There's no terminal here, no gates; passengers walk down the gangway, cross a lawn, and find themselves already in the middle of the village, often greeted by residents who've come out to see who's arrived.

Riverside Drive, the Prettiest Street on the River

The walk begins on Riverside Drive, which runs along the water facing the wooded Kentucky hills on the far bank. Its antebellum homes, fronted by verandas and small gardens, make up one of the best-preserved riverfronts on the Ohio; several period films have shot scenes here with barely any changes needed to the setting. Residents wave from their porch swings, and it's not unusual for a conversation to strike up right over the fence.

A Ferry More Than Two Centuries Old

At the end of the street, a small ferry shuttles back and forth across the river, much as it has, in one form or another, since the late 18th century: it's one of the last ferries still operating anywhere on the Ohio River. Watching it load three cars and a couple of cyclists, push against the current and make its way back is a pleasant way to spend fifteen minutes; river history buffs will see it as a survivor from an America where the waterway was the only road. The service still comes in handy for schoolchildren and workers, sparing them a long drive around.

The Rosemary Clooney House

Augusta fondly keeps alive the memory of Rosemary Clooney, the singer and actress who lived in a white house right on the waterfront, just steps from the dock. The home, now a museum, holds stage costumes, photographs and Hollywood memorabilia, including pieces connected to the film White Christmas. Volunteer guides, often former neighbours of the family, make the visit surprisingly personal. Her nephew George grew up in the village and still comes back to visit; museum volunteers always seem to have a fresh story about him.

Wine, Bourbon and Old Stone

The surrounding countryside was an important wine region in the 19th century, and Baker-Bird Winery, billed as the oldest commercial winery in the country, holds onto the most striking evidence of that era: a vaulted cellar carved into the hillside, where visitors can still taste the winery's own wines today. In the village, the 1811 jail, the antique shops along Main Street and a small craft distillery, where visitors can draw off a few drops from an aging barrel themselves, round out the walk; the whole village is easy to take in at a relaxed pace, map in hand, along its brick sidewalks and past its church steeples.

Augusta Port Call at a Glance

Once the gangway is raised, passengers often stay leaning on the railing until the verandas disappear around the bend in the river. Augusta has no famous landmark and no grand panoramic view; it offers something harder to find: a small American town that has stayed true to itself, where people talk to you like a neighbour. On the longer Ohio River cruises, it's often the first place passengers mention when swapping stories afterward.