Sylvania in Lucas County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Miakonda's Cabins
⎯⎯⎯
The Parade Field

⚜️

Miakonda's Cabins Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Doda, December 6, 2024

1. Miakonda's Cabins Marker

Inscription.

Miakonda's Cabins, also, The Parade Field. ⚜️. Miakonda's Cabins. In the first five years of Camp Miakonda's existence, individual Scout troops built their own log cabins at the camp. By February of 1923 there was eighteen of the troop owned cabins. Each one had the troop number painted on to its roof. Many of the cabins still exist today. In 1923 they were: Troop 1-Toledo Rotary and YMCA; Troop 6-Washington Congregational Church; Troop 8-Epworth M.E. Church; Troop 17-Garfield School; Troop 22-Ashland Avenue Baptist Church; Troop 23-Glenwood School; Troop 29-First Congregational Church; Troop 33-Sacred Heart; Troop 36-Good Shepherd; Troop 39-Cathedral Chapel; Troop 41-Mott Library; Troop 45-Raymer School; Troop 49-Auburndale School; Troop 52-Rosewood Presbyterian Church; Troop 53-Elks; Troop 77-Oakdale School; Troop 78-Newbery School; and Troop 1-of Sylvania. At that time there also existed at Miakonda the Wardens Lodge (Rangers home), a barn, storehouse, a bath house, engine house, five bunkhouses (the original Adirondacks) the camp kitchen (it later became the infirmary) and bathroom (outhouses) accommodations. Other early buildings that were later erected included the Ford Dining Hall in 1924 and an ice house where ice was stored for use in the summer months to cool food. The original 1917 building at camp was called the Main Cabin and the second thing built at Miakonda was the original Adirondack type shelters in 1918., The Parade Field. In 1924, Camp Miakonda had three notable benefactors with two of them being Thomas DeVilbiss and Mrs. Edward (Caroline) Ford. The third was a Toledo businessman named James Brown Bell. In the early 1920's an athletic field was built at Miakonda courtesy of Mr. Bell which included a quarter mile oval cinder based running track. It was called the Bell Athletic Field. The field was located where the present Parade Field now exists. When Lake Sawyer was excavated in 1934 much of the dirt was placed over the athletic field. The field location is noted on a 1927 topographical map of Miakonda. The map shows, every building and facility that existed at Miakonda before any of the Great Depression projects existed at camp including Lake Sawyer, the Council Lodge, the treehouses, the Warehouse and much more. The Bell Athletic Field existed at least as far back as 1924 and up to the 1934 creation of Lake Sawyer. Mr. Bell in the 1890's was the co-founder of Bell and Beckwith, en investment firm based in Toledo as well as a founder of the Toledo Glass Company. The Parade Field has been used as a gathering place for Scouts during summer camp and weekend events at Miakonda for decades The large pine trees around the Parade Field were planted in the 1920's by Scouts who raised them from seeds in one of the six tree nurseries located at camp. 18,000 trees were planted at Miakonda between 1917 and 1943 by Scouts.

Miakonda's Cabins
In the first five years of Camp Miakonda's existence, individual Scout troops built their own log cabins at the camp. By February of 1923 there was eighteen of the troop owned cabins. Each one had the troop number painted on to its roof. Many of the cabins still exist today. In 1923 they were: Troop 1-Toledo Rotary & YMCA; Troop 6-Washington Congregational Church; Troop 8-Epworth M.E. Church; Troop 17-Garfield School; Troop 22-Ashland Avenue Baptist Church; Troop 23-Glenwood School; Troop 29-First Congregational Church; Troop 33-Sacred Heart; Troop 36-Good Shepherd; Troop 39-Cathedral Chapel; Troop 41-Mott Library; Troop 45-Raymer School; Troop 49-Auburndale School; Troop 52-Rosewood Presbyterian Church; Troop 53-Elks; Troop 77-Oakdale School; Troop 78-Newbery School; and Troop 1-of Sylvania. At that time there also existed at Miakonda the Wardens Lodge (Rangers home), a barn, storehouse, a bath house, engine house, five bunkhouses (the original Adirondacks) the camp kitchen (it later became the infirmary) and bathroom (outhouses) accommodations. Other early buildings that were later erected included the Ford Dining Hall in 1924 and an ice house where ice was stored for use in the summer months to cool food. The original 1917 building at camp was called the Main Cabin and the second thing

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built at Miakonda was the original Adirondack type shelters in 1918.

The Parade Field
In 1924, Camp Miakonda had three notable benefactors with two of them being Thomas DeVilbiss and Mrs. Edward (Caroline) Ford. The third was a Toledo businessman named James Brown Bell. In the early 1920's an athletic field was built at Miakonda courtesy of Mr. Bell which included a quarter mile oval cinder based running track. It was called the Bell Athletic Field. The field was located where the present Parade Field now exists. When Lake Sawyer was excavated in 1934 much of the dirt was placed over the athletic field. The field location is noted on a 1927 topographical map of Miakonda. The map shows, every building and facility that existed at Miakonda before any of the Great Depression projects existed at camp including Lake Sawyer, the Council Lodge, the treehouses, the Warehouse and much more. The Bell Athletic Field existed at least as far back as 1924 and up to the 1934 creation of Lake Sawyer. Mr. Bell in the 1890's was the co-founder of Bell & Beckwith, en investment firm based in Toledo as well as a founder of the Toledo Glass Company. The Parade Field has been used as a gathering place for Scouts during summer camp and weekend events at Miakonda for decades The large pine trees around the Parade Field were planted in the 1920's by Scouts who raised

The Parade Field Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Doda, December 6, 2024

2. The Parade Field Marker

them from seeds in one of the six tree nurseries located at camp. 18,000 trees were planted at Miakonda between 1917 and 1943 by Scouts.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Fraternal or Sororal Organizations • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical month for this entry is February 1923.

Location. 41° 41.58′ N, 83° 40.696′ W. Marker is in Sylvania, Ohio, in Lucas County. It can be reached from West Sylvania Avenue 0.3 miles east of North Holland-Sylvania Road, on the right when traveling west. On the grounds of Camp Miakonda, Erie Shores Council, Boy Scouts of America. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 5600 W Sylvania Avenue, Toledo OH 43623, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on the Lake Erie Shore

and in the Toledo Metropolitan Area.

It is also in the American Midwest,

on the Great Lakes,

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France,

the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Jake The Goose (within shouting distance of this marker); Miakonda's Interfaith Chapel / The Four Chaplains of WWII (within shouting distance of this marker); Stream and Habitat Restoration at Camp Miakonda (within shouting distance of this marker); Lake Sawyer / Sea Scout Ship A.B. Newell (within shouting distance of this marker); Cunningham Ditch (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); A Legendary Boy Scout Camp / The Tribe of Gimogash (about 500 feet away); World's Longest Swimming Pool / Thomas Devilbiss

Miakonda's Cabins image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Doda, December 6, 2024

3. Miakonda's Cabins

(about 600 feet away); Paul Koester / Camp Miakonda's Statue Of Liberty (about 700 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Sylvania.

Photographed by Craig Doda, December 6, 2024

4. The Parade Field Marker

The Parade Field image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Doda, December 6, 2024

5. The Parade Field

The Parade Field Bell image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Doda, December 6, 2024

6. The Parade Field Bell

Credits. This page was last revised on December 27, 2024. It was originally submitted on December 8, 2024, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 146 times since then and 16 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on December 8, 2024, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.

Miakonda's Cabins⎯⎯⎯The Parade Field

⚜️

Miakonda's Cabins
⎯⎯⎯
The Parade Field