middlegrounds metropark highlightsmetroparks.blackswaninteractive.com/media/3467/... ·...

Please use this as a supplement to information provided on any Metroparks maps.

Messages for Interpretation• TheMaumeeRiveranditslocationarecentraltotheMiddlegroundspastandfuture.

• Theriveranditshistoricecosystemsprovidedthenecessaryingredientsforwildlifeandearlypeople.

• TheMaumeeRiveranditslocationoncemadeToledooneofthelargesttransportationhubsintheUnitedStates.

• RestoringMiddlegroundsimprovesimportantwildlifehabitatandwaterqualityalongtheMaumeeRiver.

• LocatedintheheartofToledo,Middlegroundsintro-ducesurbanpopulationstoMetroparks.

What’s In A Name?Folkloresuggeststhatthissitewasoncethe“middlegrounds”orneutralzonebetweentherowdycanalersandthebrawlingrailroaders,andalsocontainedmostofthebreweries.Overtime,itbecameknownasMiddleGrounds.

Natural and Human HistoryMiddlegroundsMetroparkisapproximately28acresinsize,consistingofMaumeeRiverfloodplainhabitatandrestoredurbangreenspace.TheMaumeeRiverboaststhelargestwatershedofallriversintheGreatLakessystem,drainingover6,600squaremilesofland.ThemouthoftheMaumeeandtheoriginalmouthofSwanCreekwerehistoricallywhatresearcherscallfreshwa-terestuaries.SupportingthousandsofacresofnativegrasscalledWildrice,thesewetlandsattractedremark-ablenumbersofwaterfowlwhopreferredthisnutritiousfoodsource.19thcenturyalterationssuchasdredging,fillingandwaterdiversioncausedseriouslossofthisnowstatethreatenedplant,andinturn,fragmentedthisimportantmigratorystopoverhabitat.

Sinceitsformationabout13,000yearsago,theMaumeeRiverhasenrichedhumanlifeandservedasanimportantrouteoftravelamongnativepeople.Throughtheagesofnomadichunters,toolmakersandwoodlandtribes,NativeAmericans,madethefertileMaumeeRiverValleytheirhome.Thefurtrade,whichdependeduponnavigablewaterwayssuchastheMaumee,wasoneoftheearliestandmostimportantindustriesintheUnitedStates.Inearlyyearsofsettlement,twocities,PortLawrenceandVistula,mergedtocreateToledo.Toledo’slocationontheMaumeeRivermadeithighlycovetedland,andMichiganandOhiowenttowaroveritin1833.HoldingMichigan’sstatehoodhostageCongressforcedtheendofthewarwithoutanybullets

Middlegrounds Metropark Highlights

causingcausalities.OhiokeptToledo,whileMichiganwasawardedtheUpperPeninsulaascompensation.

WhentheWabashandErieCanalwasmappedoutin1832,thelocationofToledowaschosenasoneoftheterminationpoints.Thecanalwasopenedin1845,andresultedinToledoasagrowingseaportalongLakeErie,withmuchcommerce.InadditiontotheWabashandErieCanal,ToledowasconnectedtothecityofCincinnatibywayoftheMiamiandErieCanal.

Railroadssignaledchangingtimesforthecanals,makingthemobsoletebeforesomewereevenfinished.In1848,ErieandKalamazooRailroadpurchased30acresofMiddlegroundsfor$70/acre,andtherebuiltrailroads,docks,theIslandHouse,stationbridges,androundhouses.Aroundhouseisabuildingusedforservicinglocomotives.Theselarge,circularstructuresweretraditionallylocatedsurroundingoradjacenttoturntablesandfacilitatedaccesswhenthebuildingwasusedfortrainrepairorstorage.

Anumberofindustriesbegantoemergeinthecity,includingfurniturecompanies,carriagemakers,breweries,railroadmanufacturingcompanies,andglasscompanies.Glassmanufacturingrequiressand,whichwasinabundanceintheOakOpeningsRegionwestofToledo–afactthatlinkssomeofToledo’sindustrialhistorywithitsnaturalhistory.Bythemid-19thcentury,Toledoboastedapopulationofmorethanfifty

Smooth sumac Switch grass

Canada goldenrod Biennial gaura

thousandpeople,makingitoneofthelargestcitiesinthestate.In1888,twelvegrainelevatorsstoodonMiddlegroundslandandhadacapacityof7.2millionbushelswithdailyreceiptsandshipmentsof1.2millionbushels.

In2006,MetroparkspurchasedtheMiddlegroundswithfundsgrantedbytheNationalOceanicandAtmosphericAdministrationCoastalandEstuarineLandConser-vationProgram.Thefollowingdecadeusheredinanunprecedentedbeautificationandrestorationinitiative.Thousandsoftonsofdirtanddebriswereremoved,soilwasrestored,andacreative,eco-friendlyplanforcleaningthepollutedwaterfromAnthonyWayneBridgerun-offwasimplemented.Waterfromthebridgegetscollectedthroughpipesandchanneledintoaseriesofbio-swalesthatfilterwiththehelpofrocksandplant-ings.ItthenflowsintoacovedesignedespeciallyforkayakersbeforeenteringtheMaumeeRiver.In2012,RotaryClubofToledocelebratedits100thanniversaryandpresentedMetroparkswithadonationof$300,000forthedevelopmentofashelterbuiltintheformofanhistoricroundhouse.Thestoneruinsonthefarsouthendofthepark–formerlyapossiblebargedockandgrainelevator–havebeenredesignedasascenicriveroverlook.Fossilscanbefoundinthelimestonefromtheoriginalstructurethere.

Plant LifeNativeplantingsofthebio-swalesinclude:Denseblazingstar StiffgoldenrodBlack-eyedSusan CardinalflowerBluevervain TallironweedButterflymilkweed SwampmilkweedSwitchgrass LittlebluestemBigbluestem AmericanhazelnutFragrantsumac Buttonbush

Nativetrees/shrubs/vinesinclude:Easterncottonwood GreenashBlacklocust MulberryAmericansycamore HackberryWeepingwillow CatalpaSilvermaple BoxelderGraydogwood SmoothsumacFalseindigobush WildgrapePoisonivy

Nativeandnon-nativewildflowersinclude:Thoroughwort Grass-leavedgoldenrodQueenAnne’sLace ChicoryCommonmilkweed EverlastingpeaGoatsbeard CommonSt.John’swortRedclover CommonteaselWingstem ButterandeggsBiennialgaura EveningPrimroseCanadagoldenrod

Pearl crescent Great egret

Raccoon House wren

Native WildlifeNortherncardinal AmericangoldfinchHousewren CatbirdMourningdove DownywoodpeckerAmericancoot Herringgull(ourMudhen) KilldeerRing-billedgull CanadagooseGreategret GreatblueheronMallard Double-crestedcormorantTurkeyvulture CloudedsulfurMonarch CarolinalocustPearlcrescent GoldenrodflyandgallMeadowkatydid GreendarnerBlacksaddlebags BluetdamselflyWanderingglider SoftshellturtleSnappingturtle VirginiaopossumNorthernbrownsnake CommonwatersnakeEasterncottontail White-tailedDeerCoyote Raccoon

Stayontrailsanduseprotectiveclothingandinsecticidetoavoidpoisonivy,Americandogticksandmosquitoes.

(Note:ThereisnopoisonoakinNorthwestOhio.)

Snapping turtle Mallard