Welcome

Welcome. . , Rivers of Life , For centuries, the Maumee and Auglaize rivers shaped life here. Native Americans, including Ottawa leader Pontiac and Shawnee chief Blue Jacket, hunted, fished, and held councils along these waterways., From Swamp to Settlement , This valley was once part of the vast Great Black Swamp, dominated by oaks, sycamores, tulip trees, and walnuts. In the 1800s, drainage transformed the swamp into farmland, though forested stretches remain along the river., Canals, Trails and the Dam , Settlers traveled wilderness trails northward, now mirrored by State Route 424. The Miami and Erie Canal fueled trade nearby, and a wooden dam once managed water levels. In 1924 it was replaced with the concrete dam that still stands, paving the way for the park's creation in 1949., Nature and Wildlife , The Maumee River remains a scenic, biologically rich waterway. Spring wildflowers brighten its banks, while songbirds like scarlet tanagers and yellow-throated warblers fill the canopy. Fox squirrels, raccoons, and woodchucks are common in the riparian forest.