Independence Dam State Park

About Independence Dam State Park

Independence Dam State Park is located on the banks of the beautiful Maumee River and the river is the source of water for the Ohio River and its tributaries. The park is located just a few kilometers south of Independence Dam, the largest dam in the USA, and is the only one of its kind in Ohio. In the early 19th century, after the settlement it is, it was bounded to the east by the Mississippi and to the west by Ohio's eastern border with Michigan.

This heavily forested area is part of the Great Black Swamp, a vast forest that covers 95% of Ohio. This large forest contains huge areas of trees, which are often used as temporary barns or even houses when they become hollow. The area was the scene of a major flood in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and the site of one of America's largest swamps and the source of water for the Ohio River and its tributaries.

Tall oaks and giant tulip trees mixed with walnut trees more than a meter in diameter. Almost all the trees were felled in the once mighty forest, and the settlers sawed, burned, and girded the remaining four million that remained in 1883, mostly in the 24 million hectares of forest.

The Maumee Valley and the Great Black Swamp were the last strongholds of the vast forest in Ohio. The swampy soil made it almost impossible to cross the area, and so between 1859 and 1875 a large system of ditches and drains was built to drain the swamp.

In 1885, the region still looked like endless farmland, dotted with small pieces of forest here and there. During this clearing period, the Maumee Valley and the Great Black Swamp were cleared of much of their forest.

Today, the Maumee Valley covers only six percent of the forest area, the Great Black Swamp only one percent. Fortunately, much of this forest is located on the banks of Lake Maumsee, so the park still has a large number of forests along the river line and a number of small streams and rivers.

The river is scenic and the largest in northwest Ohio, and in fact it is the second largest river flowing into Lake Erie.

The banks of the river are full of wild flowers, including jewels of violet and spring beauty. Fox, raccoon, skunk and woodcock find the river habitat well, and yellow-throated egrets and other birds enjoy the wooded canopy that stretches over the river.

The water of these two great rivers is an important source of drinking water for many people in northwest Ohio. Today, the river has valuable natural resources for industry and recreation, and the Auglaize River and its tributaries, such as the Ohio River, are important factors in the development of Northwest Ohio and the growth of the city of Akron.

The trunks that live in the dense deciduous forests include pine, oak, birch, maple, pine and many other tree species. The most famous Indian in the area was the Pontiac, chief of Ottawa, who was born in 1812 on the Auglaize River near the present city of Akron, Ohio.

It is believed that he was born in 1712 at the junction of the two rivers and lived in the area until his death in 1812. He was known as the first chief of Ottawa, the largest tribe in Ohio and the second largest in America.

The Council of Greater India held its first meeting at Independence Dam in 1812, and the Council met determined to halt American expansion into the West.

At that point, President Washington decided that Indian power must be reduced, and he chose General Anthony Wayne to lead troops to the Northwest. The carefully planned battle at the Independence Dam and its aftermath opened the area to a large wave of settlers.

The narrow military road that General Wayne used now follows State Road 424, and residents came by oxcarts along the wilderness paths to the north.

The Miami and Erie Canals merged with the Wabash-Erie Canals south of Defiance to travel north to Cincinnati. The canal then led to Maumee Bay as a common tribe, and in later years the canal had a greater influence on the area.

The use of the canal began to decline in the 1860s due to the railways, and larger cities emerged as important commercial and industrial centers developed.

A flood in 1913 destroyed much of the canal, and today you can follow the path of a river from the river to the dam, as well as the stream and its tributaries to its current location.

The main access road to the park leads to the ruins of lock number thirteen, and the original wooden dam built in the 19th century for the canal system has been replaced by a cement dam.

The existing Maumee River dam was completed in 1924 and several organizations have expressed support for the reconstruction of the structure.

In 1949 Independence Dam State Park came under the control of the newly created Ohio Department of Natural Resources. In 1952, the Ohio Department of Public Works bought the private land to build the park in exchange for $1.5 million in public funds and the purchase of land for the dam.

Forty non-electric campsites are suitable for tents and trailers, and campers with pets are allowed to camp on the 2,000 hectares of open grounds of the park. The campsites offer drinking water, picnic tables, showers, toilets, a fireplace, a picnic area and a water well.

The landfill is located on the west side of the park, near the marina, south of Interstate 95 and east of Lake Michigan.

The marina's four-lane launch pad is located on the west side of the park, south of Interstate 95 and east of Lake Michigan. The river is accessible with unlimited boat services and is ideal for canoeing, kayaking, fishing and kayaking.

The Maumee River offers a wide variety of fish species, such as trout, salmon, perch, mackerel, whale-eye and trout. Fishing on the river or one of its tributaries in Independence Dam State Park does not require a valid fishing license.

Numerous picnic tables are available along the tree - lined banks of the Maumee River, and barbecues, toilets and drinking water are available on the park's picnic area and on the shore.
Each campsite has a refuge and two accommodations are available on reservation: a campsite and a picnic area, both available for reservations.

A three-kilometer access road through the park offers a scenic ride for cyclists. The trail winds along the canal and river through thick deciduous forest, and the three-kilometer-long paved paths offer hikers a variety of views of the river and its tributaries, as well as the lake.

Mary Jane Thurston State Park is located in Grand Rapids, Ohio, and the parks of Defiance City are marked with plaques and stones.

The area is still full of old earthworks, as well as the remains of the old railway tracks and the original bridge over the river.

Other historic sites in Defiance include Fort Winchester, built in 1812 by Gen. William Henry Harrison, and a monument to the Battle of Fallen Timbers, located in Waterville, Maumee, US 24th. The nearby Maumsee State Forest offers recreational opportunities, and the newly built community of Fort Kent, home to the Ohio State Museum, is open seasonally and on tour.