St. Marys in Auglaize County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

St. Marys

Photographed By Robert Baughman, June 28, 2021

1. St. Marys Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Near Ohio's largest interior lake created by a reservoir for the Miami-Erie Canal, 1845

Erected by Ohio Historical Society, Ohio Department of Transportation and Ohio Bicentennial Commission.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Parks & Recreational Areas • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Ohio Historical Society / The Ohio History Connection, and the The Miami & Erie Canal series lists.

Location. 40° 32.989′ N, 84° 23.074′ W. Marker is in St. Marys, Ohio, in Auglaize County. Marker is at the intersection of North Spruce Street (Ohio Route 66) and Oil Street, on the right when traveling south on North Spruce Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 611 N Spruce St, Saint Marys OH 45885, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Reservoir Mill, St. Marys (approx. 0.4 miles away); Lock 13 Rehabilitation Project (approx. 0.4 miles away); Transportation (approx. 0.4 miles away); Miami and Erie Canal

Photographed By Robert Baughman, June 28, 2021

2. St. Marys Marker

Looking South towards St. Marys

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(approx. half a mile away); St. Marys Veterans Memorial (approx. half a mile away); The "Short Level" of the Miami and Erie Canal (approx. half a mile away); a different marker also named St. Marys Veterans Memorial (approx. half a mile away); Memorial Park (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in St. Marys.

Also see . . . Grand Lakes St. Marys Educational Series: History of GLSM What You Don’t Know.

Grand Lake St. Marys was once the world’s largest artificial body of water (it was dug by 1,700 German and Irish immigrants from 1837 to 1845). It was created to supply the Miami and Erie Canal, a vital supply source connecting the Ohio River in Cincinnati and Lake Erie in Toledo. Grand Lake St. Marys was home to the world’s first off-shore oil well, with waterbound derricks positioned on the lake to pump oil from beneath its water Gordon State Park once sat on the banks of GLSM, an amusement park complete with a boardwalk and a wooden rollercoaster that attracted national acts and visitors from all over the United States.

(Submitted on June 29, 2021, by Robert Baughman of Bellefontaine, Ohio.)

Credits. This page was last revised on June 29, 2021. It was originally submitted on June 29, 2021, by Robert Baughman of Bellefontaine, Ohio. This page has been viewed 106 times since then and 13 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 29, 2021, by Robert Baughman of Bellefontaine, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.