Near Springfield in Clark County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

A Relict from an Icy Past

Courtesy of Thomas P. Martin, May 10, 2021

1. A Relict from an Icy Past Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Could the substance you use to keep your drinks cold move this boulder? That may be hard to imagine, but ice did just that. As the glaciers advanced, they acted like giant conveyor belts, carrying boulders, rocks, sand, and soil called glacial drift. Wherever they stopped and began to melt, they left their glacial drift behind, creating hills called end moraines. Glaciers created the fertile soils and rolling hills of western Ohio.

Sometimes, single boulders were dropped haphazardly. These boulders are called glacial erratics and are a familiar sight in glaciated portions of Ohio. Some glacial erratics traveled from as far away as Ontario, Canada. Geologists suspect that may be the case for this several-ton chunk of granite.

Glaciers in Ohio? At one time, the very spot you are now standing was covered by a mile-high sheet of ice. In fact, glaciers advanced across Ohio three times, reshaping the landscape each time. The last icy invasion ended about 14,000 years ago and was called the Wisconsinan Glaciation.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Environment.

Location.

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39° 57.428′ N, 83° 44.848′ W. Marker is near Springfield, Ohio, in Clark County. Marker is at C.J. Brown Dam and Reservoir visitor center. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2630 Croft Road, Springfield OH 45503, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Springfield (approx. 3 miles away); Sherman Avenue Concrete Arch Bridge 1908- 2007 (approx. 3.2 miles away); Springfield VFW Veterans Memorial (approx. 3.2 miles away); Ridgewood in the Country Club District (approx. 3.3 miles away); James Demint Cabin (approx. 3.7 miles away); Site of Simon Kenton's First Log Cabin Home in Ohio (approx. 3.8 miles away); Wittenberg Vietnam War Memorial (approx. 3.8 miles away); Theological Education at Wittenberg (approx. 3.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Springfield.

Courtesy of Thomas P. Martin, May 10, 2021

2. A Relict from an Icy Past Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on May 12, 2021. It was originally submitted on May 12, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 253 times since then and 63 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 12, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.