Post on 18-Jul-2020
Please use this as a supplement to information provided on any Metroparks maps.
Messages for Interpretation• TheMaumeeRiveranditslocationarecentraltotheMiddlegroundspastandfuture.
• Theriveranditshistoricecosystemsprovidedthenecessaryingredientsforwildlifeandearlypeople.
• TheMaumeeRiveranditslocationoncemadeToledooneofthelargesttransportationhubsintheUnitedStates.
• RestoringMiddlegroundsimprovesimportantwildlifehabitatandwaterqualityalongtheMaumeeRiver.
• LocatedintheheartofToledo,Middlegroundsintro-ducesurbanpopulationstoMetroparks.
What’s In A Name?Folkloresuggeststhatthissitewasoncethe“middlegrounds”orneutralzonebetweentherowdycanalersandthebrawlingrailroaders,andalsocontainedmostofthebreweries.Overtime,itbecameknownasMiddleGrounds.
Natural and Human HistoryMiddlegroundsMetroparkisapproximately28acresinsize,consistingofMaumeeRiverfloodplainhabitatandrestoredurbangreenspace.TheMaumeeRiverboaststhelargestwatershedofallriversintheGreatLakessystem,drainingover6,600squaremilesofland.ThemouthoftheMaumeeandtheoriginalmouthofSwanCreekwerehistoricallywhatresearcherscallfreshwa-terestuaries.SupportingthousandsofacresofnativegrasscalledWildrice,thesewetlandsattractedremark-ablenumbersofwaterfowlwhopreferredthisnutritiousfoodsource.19thcenturyalterationssuchasdredging,fillingandwaterdiversioncausedseriouslossofthisnowstatethreatenedplant,andinturn,fragmentedthisimportantmigratorystopoverhabitat.
Sinceitsformationabout13,000yearsago,theMaumeeRiverhasenrichedhumanlifeandservedasanimportantrouteoftravelamongnativepeople.Throughtheagesofnomadichunters,toolmakersandwoodlandtribes,NativeAmericans,madethefertileMaumeeRiverValleytheirhome.Thefurtrade,whichdependeduponnavigablewaterwayssuchastheMaumee,wasoneoftheearliestandmostimportantindustriesintheUnitedStates.Inearlyyearsofsettlement,twocities,PortLawrenceandVistula,mergedtocreateToledo.Toledo’slocationontheMaumeeRivermadeithighlycovetedland,andMichiganandOhiowenttowaroveritin1833.HoldingMichigan’sstatehoodhostageCongressforcedtheendofthewarwithoutanybullets
Middlegrounds Metropark Highlights
causingcausalities.OhiokeptToledo,whileMichiganwasawardedtheUpperPeninsulaascompensation.
WhentheWabashandErieCanalwasmappedoutin1832,thelocationofToledowaschosenasoneoftheterminationpoints.Thecanalwasopenedin1845,andresultedinToledoasagrowingseaportalongLakeErie,withmuchcommerce.InadditiontotheWabashandErieCanal,ToledowasconnectedtothecityofCincinnatibywayoftheMiamiandErieCanal.
Railroadssignaledchangingtimesforthecanals,makingthemobsoletebeforesomewereevenfinished.In1848,ErieandKalamazooRailroadpurchased30acresofMiddlegroundsfor$70/acre,andtherebuiltrailroads,docks,theIslandHouse,stationbridges,androundhouses.Aroundhouseisabuildingusedforservicinglocomotives.Theselarge,circularstructuresweretraditionallylocatedsurroundingoradjacenttoturntablesandfacilitatedaccesswhenthebuildingwasusedfortrainrepairorstorage.
Anumberofindustriesbegantoemergeinthecity,includingfurniturecompanies,carriagemakers,breweries,railroadmanufacturingcompanies,andglasscompanies.Glassmanufacturingrequiressand,whichwasinabundanceintheOakOpeningsRegionwestofToledo–afactthatlinkssomeofToledo’sindustrialhistorywithitsnaturalhistory.Bythemid-19thcentury,Toledoboastedapopulationofmorethanfifty
Smooth sumac Switch grass
Canada goldenrod Biennial gaura
thousandpeople,makingitoneofthelargestcitiesinthestate.In1888,twelvegrainelevatorsstoodonMiddlegroundslandandhadacapacityof7.2millionbushelswithdailyreceiptsandshipmentsof1.2millionbushels.
In2006,MetroparkspurchasedtheMiddlegroundswithfundsgrantedbytheNationalOceanicandAtmosphericAdministrationCoastalandEstuarineLandConser-vationProgram.Thefollowingdecadeusheredinanunprecedentedbeautificationandrestorationinitiative.Thousandsoftonsofdirtanddebriswereremoved,soilwasrestored,andacreative,eco-friendlyplanforcleaningthepollutedwaterfromAnthonyWayneBridgerun-offwasimplemented.Waterfromthebridgegetscollectedthroughpipesandchanneledintoaseriesofbio-swalesthatfilterwiththehelpofrocksandplant-ings.ItthenflowsintoacovedesignedespeciallyforkayakersbeforeenteringtheMaumeeRiver.In2012,RotaryClubofToledocelebratedits100thanniversaryandpresentedMetroparkswithadonationof$300,000forthedevelopmentofashelterbuiltintheformofanhistoricroundhouse.Thestoneruinsonthefarsouthendofthepark–formerlyapossiblebargedockandgrainelevator–havebeenredesignedasascenicriveroverlook.Fossilscanbefoundinthelimestonefromtheoriginalstructurethere.
Plant LifeNativeplantingsofthebio-swalesinclude:Denseblazingstar StiffgoldenrodBlack-eyedSusan CardinalflowerBluevervain TallironweedButterflymilkweed SwampmilkweedSwitchgrass LittlebluestemBigbluestem AmericanhazelnutFragrantsumac Buttonbush
Nativetrees/shrubs/vinesinclude:Easterncottonwood GreenashBlacklocust MulberryAmericansycamore HackberryWeepingwillow CatalpaSilvermaple BoxelderGraydogwood SmoothsumacFalseindigobush WildgrapePoisonivy
Nativeandnon-nativewildflowersinclude:Thoroughwort Grass-leavedgoldenrodQueenAnne’sLace ChicoryCommonmilkweed EverlastingpeaGoatsbeard CommonSt.John’swortRedclover CommonteaselWingstem ButterandeggsBiennialgaura EveningPrimroseCanadagoldenrod
Pearl crescent Great egret
Raccoon House wren
Native WildlifeNortherncardinal AmericangoldfinchHousewren CatbirdMourningdove DownywoodpeckerAmericancoot Herringgull(ourMudhen) KilldeerRing-billedgull CanadagooseGreategret GreatblueheronMallard Double-crestedcormorantTurkeyvulture CloudedsulfurMonarch CarolinalocustPearlcrescent GoldenrodflyandgallMeadowkatydid GreendarnerBlacksaddlebags BluetdamselflyWanderingglider SoftshellturtleSnappingturtle VirginiaopossumNorthernbrownsnake CommonwatersnakeEasterncottontail White-tailedDeerCoyote Raccoon
Stayontrailsanduseprotectiveclothingandinsecticidetoavoidpoisonivy,Americandogticksandmosquitoes.
(Note:ThereisnopoisonoakinNorthwestOhio.)
Snapping turtle Mallard