|
Recreation |
Facilities |
Quantity |
|
Resource |
Land,
acres |
591 |
 |
Water, acres |
River |
|
|
River,
miles |
7 |
|
Activities |
Fishing |
yes |
|
|
Hiking
Trail, miles |
3 |
|
|
Picnicking |
yes |
|
|
Picnic Shelters, # |
3 |
|
Boating |
Boating Limits |
UNL |
|
|
Launch Ramps, # |
4 |
|
Winter Rec |
Sledding |
yes |
|
|
Ice
Skating |
yes |
|
|
Cross-Country Skiing |
yes |
Independence Dam State Park is situated along the
banks of the beautiful Maumee River. The river is ideal for boating,
fishing or a scenic canoe trip.
Boating
Unlimited horsepower boating is permitted on the
river. A marina and four-lane launch ramp are provided. Four miles of
the river accommodates skiers. The river is excellent for canoeing.
Fishing
The Maumee River offers fine catches of northern
pike, smallmouth bass, crappie, catfish and an occasional walleye. A
valid Ohio fishing license is required.
Trails
A three-mile hiking trail, once the towpath of the
Miami and Erie Canal, offers the hiker a glimpse into the colorful past
of Ohio's canal era. The trail meanders between the canal and the river
through a dense hardwood forest. The three-mile access road through the
park offers a scenic ride for bicyclists.
Picnicking
Numerous picnic tables are located along the
tree-lined bank of the Maumee River. Grills, restrooms and drinking
water are provided. Two shelterhouses are available by reservation.
Nature of the Area
The Maumee Valley is but a mere shadow of what it
used to be prior to settlement. This area was in the midst of the Great
Black Swamp which was 120 miles long and 30 to 40 miles wide. This
heavily forested area was an extension of the immense forest that
covered 95% of Ohio. This great forest contained huge sycamores often
used for temporary barns or even homes when they became hollow. Towering
oaks and giant tulip trees became intermixed with walnut trees--some
over six feet in diameter.
As vast as this mighty forest once was, nearly every tree had been cut
in less than 100 years after settlement of Ohio began. Settlers cut,
sawed, burned and girdled most of the 24 million acres of woodlands
leaving only four million by 1883. The Maumee Valley in the Great Black
Swamp was the last stronghold of Ohio's great forest. The boggy soil
made passage into the area nearly impossible until a great system of
ditches and drains were installed between 1859 and 1875 to drain the
swamp. During that time period nearly 2.5 million acres of the Maumee
Valley were cleared. By 1885, the region looked much as it does
today--endless farm fields dotted here and there with small woodlots.
The Maumee Valley today supports only six percent of the land in forest
cover. Fortunately, much of that forest cover lies along the banks of
the Maumee River. It is still possible to see great sycamores, black
locusts, beech and maple trees lining the river through the park. The
river is very scenic and is the largest in northwest Ohio. In fact, it
is the second largest stream flowing into Lake Erie with 4,700 cubic
feet per second. The river's banks support an abundance of woodland
wildflowers including jewelweed, violets and spring beauties.
Songbirds such as the scarlet tanager, Louisiana water thrush and
yellow-throated warbler enjoy the wooded canopy draping the river. The
fox squirrel, raccoon, skunk and woodchuck find the riparian habitat
suitable.
History of the Area
The natural confluence of the Maumee and Auglaize
rivers, upstream from Independence Dam State Park, was a significant
contributing factor for the development of northwestern Ohio. The waters
of these two great rivers were a source of life for Indian and
frontiersmen alike. Today, the rivers are a valuable natural resource
for both industry and recreation.
This was a rich hunting and fishing area for the American Indian. Tribes
residing in the dense hardwood forests included the Hopewell, Erie,
Iroquois, Miami, Shawnee, Wyandot, Delaware and Ottawa. The most famous
Indian of this area was Pontiac, an Ottawa chief. It is believed he was
born near the junction of the two rivers in 1712. He is remembered for
the infamous "Pontiac's Conspiracy," a rebellion of Indian tribes
against trade policies in 1763.
Blue Jacket, a great Shawnee war chief, made his home near the banks of
these same rivers in the late 1700s. In 1793, a "Grand Indian Council,"
the greatest assembly of tribal representatives on the North American
Continent, was also held here. The council convened with the
determination to stop the American westward expansion.
At this time, President Washington decided that Indian power needed to
be reduced. President Washington chose General Anthony Wayne to lead
forces into the northwest. General Wayne's victory in the carefully
planned battle, opened the territory to a great wave of settlers.
Homesteaders came on horseback, on foot and in ox-drawn wagons, moving
north along the wilderness trails. State Route 424 now follows the
narrow military trail used by General Wayne.
In later years, the canals had a great influence on this area. The Miami
and Erie Canal, which traveled north from Cincinnati, merged with the
Wabash and Erie Canal just south of Defiance. The two canals then
proceeded via a common trunk to Maumee Bay. Large cities sprang up along
the canals and developed into important trade and industrial centers.
The use of the canals began to decline in the 1860s due to the
railroads. A flood in 1913 destroyed much of the canal. Today, one can
trace seven unbroken miles of the historic canal between St. Rt. 424 and
the park. The main entrance road to the park crosses over the ruins of
Lock Number Thirteen.
The existing dam on the Maumee River was completed in 1924. This cement
dam replaced the original wooden dam which was built in the 1800s for
the canal system.
At the time of the rebuilding of the structure, several organizations
expressed support for a park between the old canal bed and the river.
The Ohio Department of Public Works purchased private lands creating the
park. In 1949, Independence Dam State Park came under the administrative
authority of the newly created Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
Area Attractions
Mary Jane Thurston State Park is nearby at Grand Rapids, Ohio. In
Defiance, the site of General Anthony Wayne's Fort Defiance is marked by
plaques and stones in the city park. Old earthworks are still visible in
this area. Other marked historic sites in Defiance include Fort
Winchester, built in 1812 by General William Henry Harrison and the old
French Mission (1650) in Kingsbury Park.
Auglaize Village, a re-created Ohio settlement located west of
Defiance, is open for tours on a seasonal basis.
Nearby
Maumee State Forest provides recreational opportunities. A monument
to the
Battle of Fallen Timbers is located between Waterville and Maumee on
U.S. 24.
|
