Mosquito Creek Lake

Mosquito Creek Lake. . , What's In a Name? , Mosquito Lake was named for the insects that inhabited the marshy area. Local lore states that the name is based on a tale of two brothers from Cleveland who stayed in the area on their way to boiling mineral water for salt. While camping, they were attacked by a huge swarm of insects, hiding under their large boiling kettle. Months later, travelers happened upon their camp site, where they found the remains of the two brothers still under the kettle., American Indian Inhabitants , Trumbull County was filled with an abundance of natural resources, making the area an ideal location for American Indian communities to thrive. The natural environment offered sustainable living that drove settlements in areas like Mosquito Creek, where cultures such as the Erie people would have settled. The Erie, or Erielhonan, and their ancestors left their mark on the landscape through stone implements that were found by collectors in the early 20th century., Stone implements collected by Don Witala during the 20th century at Mosquito Creek. (Courtesy of the Trumbull County Historical Society), This photograph was taken in May 1943, showing Mosquito Creek before the construction of the dam. (Courtesy of the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers), Settlement from the East , As far back as 1662, the State of Connecticut was granted land from England westward to the sea, including the area of northeast Ohio that we are standing in now. After the Revolutionary War, there was great discussion over whether Connecticut would keep this land claim, or consolidate it back into the federal government in exchange for relief from debt from the Revolutionary War. Connecticut agreed to give up their claim to the sea, but kept a claim on the land 120 miles west of the Pennsylvania border: the northeast corner of Ohio that is now known as the Connecticut Western Reserve., The first settler on the west side of Mosquito Creek, Joseph Marvin built this house before 1860 on Warren- Meadville Road. (Courtesy of the Cortland-Bazetta Historical Society.), Born out of Steel , The Flood Control Act of 1938 dictated the building of a dam at Mosquito Creek. The vision for the dam was born out of the need to feed water to nearby steel mills, and control flooding to local manufacturing centers. Once a titan of the steel industry, Trumbull County at one time boasted the largest blast furnace in the world., Ice fishing on the lake, 2010 (Courtesy of Martha Whetson and Linda Finlaw), The first steel mill in Trumbull County, Trumbull Cliffs was completed in 1913. This photo was taken during the mill's construction in 1912. (Courtesy of the Trumbull County Historical Society)., Parceled out into 5 x 5 square miles, the land was sold to investors in the newly formed. Connecticut Land Company. The area that is now Bazetta Township was purchased by early settler David Huntington, as shown on this 1790s survey. (Courtesy of the Connecticut Historical Society), A Gathering Place , From the 1940s until today, Mosquito Lake is used by tourists and residents for recreation and entertainment. From fishing, ice fishing, 4H competitions and visitors soaking up the sun, the lake has provided a space to commune together and enjoy its natural surroundings., A popular space for recreation, Mosquito Lake drew visitors in droves during the 1950s-1970s for swimming and entertainment. (Courtesy of Martha Whetson and Linda Finlaw)