The Great Black Swamp was a glacial fed wetland in NW Ohio that existed until the late 19th century. Comprising of extensive swamps and marshes, with some higher, drier ground interspersed, it occupied what was formerly the precursor to Lake Erie. The area covered an estimated 1,500 sq miles. Gradually drained and settled in the second half of the 19th century, it is now highly productive farm land. During the second half of the 20th century, efforts were undertaken to preserve and restore portions of the swamp to its pre-settlement state.
The stories of the land, the long drainage process and the settling of the area fills several books, therefore too much to share here, but this gives you a small bit of our history. It's hard to imagine that this little space of ground where my little house sits was once swamp land.
One interesting thing I read was this:
"Travel was almost impossible until corduroy roads (boards laid crosswise) were constructed in 1825, and then paved with gravel in 1838, but travel in the wet season could still take days or even weeks".
When I stop and think what my family went through when they moved here from NY, life was so hard for them. But I came from a sturdy stock, hard workers, and most survived. Not all, but most of them.
I took some hamburger out of the freezer this morning, planning to just have burgers for supper. Since I had to run up to the post office, Bob went with me and we went out to the grocery store to get some buns and milk. We also got some tomatoes, muskmellon, some fish, and since I've been hungry for something sweet, I picked up a brownie mix. I just took it out of the oven. I'm going to indulge a bit tonight. Maybe I'll even add a scoop of vanilla ice cream. :)
Today is Friday.... yippee.... so I'll wish you a great weekend.
Be safe and stay cool.
That was very interesting about the area where you live...that is one reason I enjoy my blog friends....I learn so much from them. Thank you. It has been miserably hot here too and we are barely sticking out noses outside. Enjoy those brownies...I can almost taste them! Hugs.
ReplyDeleteI was born and raised in Ohio, but don't remember hearing about the Black Swamp. Of course, Buckeye Lake was once swampland too. Ohio must have been one soupy place back in the day! Thanks for the interesting history lesson!
ReplyDeleteI do believe it is cooler in Florida, than it is in Ohio!! We had rain AGAIN today. If it cooled things off, I wouldn't complain so much, but it just makes it steamier.
Have a good weekend! Stay cool!
THanks for the history lesson! I loved your little graphic of the dog, I would have agreed with him a couple of days ago, but we have cooled off already. It actually feels a tad fall like outside this morning!! Too soon for that, I must say!
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