Akron in Summit County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
The Signal Tree
Photographed By Craig Doda, January 19, 2020
1. The Signal Tree Marker
Inscription.
The Signal Tree. . Trees with unusual shapes were often, used by Indians as landmarks to identify important trails. This 300 year old Bur Oak (Guercus Macrocarpa) marked the northernmost point of the Portage Trail, which connected the Cuyahoga (whose course was once much” closer to the tree) and Tuscarawas Rivers. The Erie, Seneca, Shawnee, Ottawa, Delaware and Mingo tribes traveled to the Ohio River by this route. They removed their canoes from the Cuyahoga River here and carried them overland for eight miles--south to Summit Lake. Later, white settlers used the same signal tree to find their way between the rivers.
Trees with unusual shapes were often, used by Indians as
landmarks to identify important trails. This 300 year
old Bur Oak (Guercus Macrocarpa) marked the northernmost
point of the Portage Trail, which connected the Cuyahoga
(whose course was once much” closer to the tree) and
Tuscarawas Rivers. The Erie, Seneca, Shawnee, Ottawa,
Delaware and Mingo tribes traveled to the Ohio River
by this route. They removed their canoes from the
Cuyahoga River here and carried them overland for
eight miles--south to Summit Lake. Later, white settlers
used the same signal tree to find their way between
the rivers.
Location. 41° 7.217′ N, 81° 31.067′ W. Marker is in Akron, Ohio, in Summit County. Marker is on Chuckery Trail, 0.1 miles west of Peck Road, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1062 Chuckery Trail, Akron OH 44310, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on January 24, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 29, 2020, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 633 times since then and 103 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on November 29, 2020, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. 3, 4. submitted on January 7, 2023, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
