Please use this as a supplement to information provided on the Providence Metropark map.

Messages for InterpretationProvidence Metropark inspires visitors to connect the natural history of the Maumee River with the stories of the people who lived there—their hopes, dreams and accomplishments through changing technologies.• Throughouttime,theriverhasnurturedbothwildlife and people. • Fromhandgrindingtolightinguptowns,themillhas harnessed the energy of the river through changing technologies. • Fromtheearlytomid-1800s,theMaumeeRiver definedtheMiami-ErieCanal.

What’s In A Name?Thepark’slocationmakesupthefareasternstretch oftheformercanaltown,Providence,plattedbyfurtraderPeterManorin1835.Onlythreeoriginal buildingsofthisghosttownremain:TheIsaacLudwigMill,St.Patrick’sChurchandPeterManor’shouse.

Natural and Human HistoryMeadows,wetlands,uplandandfloodplainwoodsallcontributetothebiodiversityatProvidence.Meadowssupport many small mammals, soaring hawks and nativesummerwildflowersattractingbutterfliesandother insects. A restored wetland in the eastern section oftheparkprovidesbreedingandforaginggroundsfordragonflies,waterfowlandamphibians.TheuplandandfloodplainwoodsalongtheGreenTrailofferexcellentspringwildflowerdisplays.

TheMaumeeRiverfloodplainwoodsprovideswildlifehabitatasacorridorformigratorybirds.Treecavitiesinitiatedbyicescarringandthenhollowedbynaturaldecay from fungi provide homes for mammals and cav-itynestingbirds.Thefloodplainallowsessentialspaceforfloodingwhichinturnreduceserosion,filterswaterreturningtothemainstream,andcreatesabufferforfloodsandicejams.

FloodingisanaturalprocessatProvidence.1904broughtthegreatestfloodonrecord,whentherivercrested8feetabovefloodlevel.Thespringfloodof1913causednearly$500,000ofdamageforthetow-path,ultimatelyclosingtheMiami/ErieCanal.In2015,therivercrestedtoroughly2feetabovefloodstage,leaving much of Providence underwater.

Providence’sfirstsawmillwasbuiltin1822byPeterManorandlocatedfurtherwestoftoday’sIsaacLudwigMill.In1842,OhiograntedPeterManorperpetual water rights as the original mill was razed for the

Providence Metropark Highlights

constructionofthecanal.Themillpassedthroughseveralownersoverthenext130years,oneaddedagristmilltotheoriginalsawmill.Itremainedincom-mercialoperationtill1974whenitwasdonatedtotheMetroparksbyCleoLudwig,grandsonofformermillowner,IsaacLudwig.Thedonationconditionsrequiredfree,publicdemonstrations,andthatthemillbenamedafter his grandfather.

After20yearsofconstruction,1845markedthe officialopeningoftheMiami-ErieCanalfromToledotoCincinnativiaa248mileroutethatincludedthetownof Providence. Around that time, the rowdy town of Providencehad160citizens,fourstores,fivehotels,andnumeroussaloonsandwarehouses.Atthecanal’sheightin1850,over500registeredboats(2permile)couldbeseenpassingby.Unfortunately,thetown’spopulationdeclinedovertimeduetoafirethatdestroyedmostbusinessesin1846,threecholeraepidemics,theadventoftrainsin1876,andthefloodof1913whichperma-nently closed the canal. Providence was unincorporated in1982,whichmadeitanofficial‘ghosttown.’

Restoredinthe1990’s,Lock44istheonlyoriginalworkinglockinOhiothatacanalboatstillpassesthrough.Builtdirectlyonbedrockratherthan wood,Lock44’sstructuralintegrityallowedforits preservation,eventualexcavationandrestoration. TheCanalExperiencelivinghistoryrideoffersvisitors aglimpseofthepast.Additionally,theIsaacLudwig Mill still harnesses water power for saw and grain millingdemonstrations,whiletheHeritageCenter’s interpretive displays detail human interactions in shaping Providence – from Native Americans through present day.

ThedamonthewestedgeofProvidencewasinitiallybuiltin1830stobringwaterintothecanal.Itwasrein-forcedwithconcretein1908.Furtherrestorationwascompleted during the WPA, when the shelter house was constructed.

The Volunteer canal boat and Isaac Ludwig Mill

Plant LifeWildflowersinthefloodplainwoodsinclude:Bloodroot MayappleWild ginger Wild geraniumSpringbeauty WildonionWhite snakeroot Virginia knotweed (Jumpseed)

Grassesandwildflowersofthemeadows/prairiesinclude:Bigbluestem PrairiecordgrassIndiangrass SwitchgrassBergamot CommonmilkweedWingstem Green-headedconeflowerNewEnglandaster WildPotato-vineSpottedandpalejewelweed

Treesandshrubsinclude:Northernhackberry ShagbarkhickoryCottonwood BoxelderAmerican sycamore Silver maple

CommonpricklyashisanotableshrubgrowingatProvidence.ItisthehostplantfortheGiantswallow-tailbutterflylarva,andwashistoricallyusedbyNativeAmericansandsettlersforalleviatingtooth-achepain.

WildlifeSomereptilesandamphibiansinclude:Bullfrog CommonwatersnakeSnappingturtle Easternspinysoft shell turtle

Easterncricketfrogs,anOhiospeciesofconcern,canbeheardcallinglateMaythroughJulyintherestoredwetland.Theircallsresemblerapidtappingtogetherofmarbles.

Reptilesandamphibiansbaskinthesunalongthe retainingwallofthecanalaswellasonbedrocknear the river.

No venomous snakes occur at Providence.

Insectsinclude:Giantswallowtail MonarchSilver spotted skipper Praying mantis

Birdsinclude:Baltimoreoriole BeltedkingfisherGreatblueheron GreenheronBaldeagle OspreyWoodduck CommonmerganserCanadagoose TreeswallowsCliffswallows(nestat295bridge)

Fishinclude:Walleye WhitebassLarge-mouthbass LongnosegarChannelcatfish EmeraldshinersCarp

Mammalsinclude:Raccoon RedsquirrelEasterncottontail StripedskunkWhite-taileddeer MuskratBigbrownbat Groundhog

AlthoughevidenceofriverotterandAmericanbeaverhasbeenobserved,noestablishedpopulationsareknown at this time.

Pestsincludeinvasivezebramusselsthatmustbecleanedfrommillturbines,andalsopoisonivy, mosquitoesandAmericandogticks.Stayonthetrailsand cover up or use insecticide for protection.

(Note:ThereisnopoisonoakinNorthwestOhio.)

Osprey

Groundhog

Spring beauty

Belted kingfisher

Spotted jewelweed

Long nose gar

Snapping turtleBullfrog