Grand Lake St. Marys
Grand Lake St. Marys is a popular vacationing and recreation destination enjoyed by many through the years. Once a part of the Great Black Swamp, Grand Lake St. Marys was hand dug over the span of eight years finishing in 1845. The lake was originally used as a reservoir for shipping from the north and south of Ohio. Commercial fishing would also be established for a period of time. Offshore drilling as strange as it may sound also happened at one point in the history of Grand Lake St. Marys. Designed as a long-term solution for shipping the lake was no longer needed for its main purpose as trains became widely used across the country. This was the main driver of the lake being categorized as a recreational location saving it from any further changes. The lake has offered visitors the chance to enjoy many activities such as hunting, fishing and camping. Unfortunately, the lake is currently experiencing high levels of pollution that have either limited or stopped visitors from enjoying some of the best aspects of the lake.
Before Lake St. Marys was hand dug the land was a part of the Great Black Swamp. A vast wetland formed by glacial melt; it was an entirely different ecosystem than it is now. A lot of the land that is now covered by water was once filled with large trees. Parts of the wetland were also a swamp. While the swamp and lake share similarities they are completely different in terms of the ecosystem they support. Wetlands vary in the amount of water that is standing. Some have water that is standing year-round while others are tied to seasonal changes. Animals that inhabit the local area such as deer and the eastern coyote would have traversed the wetland in search of food or shelter. The construction of the lake certainly wiped-out habitat the animals once used. Before the lake was conceived the area would begin to experience its first forms of human disturbance. Settlers began clearing forests so they could use the land for farming. The arrival of settlers accelerated change at a pace and level never seen before.
In the early 1800’s having access to waterways in which boats could travel meant the opportunity for economic prosperity. The goal of Grand Lake St. Marys was to act as a reservoir for the Miami and Erie canal. Capitalism had its sights set on the land and would soon begin transforming the wetland to a lake.
Construction of the Lake began in 1837 and by the time of its completion it would become the largest artificial body of water in the world. An ambitious task given the limitations of technology during the time period but certainly not impossible. Some 1,700 Irish and German immigrants worked full days digging and transporting the very ground they worked on. Like many immigrants at the time, they worked for low wages. The reward for a hard day's work digging a lake by hand, thirty cents and what is referred to as a jigger of whiskey. Thirty cents in the 1800’s roughly comes to $6.20 in today's currency. The jigger of whiskey amounted to about a shot of alcohol per day bringing the total daily wage to roughly ten to eleven dollars. If the task of digging Grand Lake St. Marys was taken on today the estimated cost of the project would exceed half a billion dollars.
Shipping was not the only form of economic growth that came from the creation of the lake. Commercial fishermen were able to comfortably make a living from fishing Grand Lake St. Marys. The commercial fishing industry came to an end at Grand Lake St. Marys in 1884 when limits were placed on the number of fish that could be taken from the waters. This restriction led to an economic loss in the area but the land that Grand Lake St. Marys stood on still had more to offer in terms of economics.
The need to use the lake as a reservoir for shipping began to decline as railroads became popular around the country. In yet another first in the world moment at Grand Lake St. Marys, the discovery of oil would provide another economic boost to the area. It is believed to be the first ever offshore drilling to take place in 1891. This type of drilling would prove to be a valuable precursor for the oil industry and eventual offshore drilling that takes place today. While the comparison in size to modern day drilling operations is vastly different, oil extracted from beneath the lake was still a very profitable business at the time. In the height of oil production from the lake the largest year saw over 23 million barrels produced. However Grand Lake St. Marys would once again see an exodus of a once prosperous industry. The most oil a well in Grand Lake St. Marys could produce per day was 250 barrels and the lowest was around ten. An oil field in Texas was discovered and began producing 100,000 barrels per day. On its best day a well in the lake could not produce a single percent compared to those in Texas. And just as the lakes original purpose of shipping had been abandoned so too was the quest for oil.
The next phase of mass transit had taken over the country and railroads became the way of the future. Use of the lake as an economic highway had ended. What the lake would become next was debated among the public and government. Many wanted to drain the lake and turn it into farmland while others wanted the lake to be left alone. A lake that was built for economic purposes was now in danger of being lost due to the very same reasons. In august of 1904 an attempt to blow up a bulkhead holding back the lake took place. Although the investigations were unsuccessful it is believed that those in favor of turning the lake into farmland were responsible for the explosion. After extensive fighting to determine the future of the lake it was finally given the official designation as a recreational land in 1915 and has remained since.
At one point in Grand Lake St. Marys history a small amusement park once added to the entertainment value of the lake. In 1924 the Gordon State Park opened up. The amusement park featured many rides including a large Ferris wheel and wooden roller coaster. The fourth of July was a major event at the lake during the time the amusement park was in operation attracting over 40,000 to the event. Sadly, the amusement park was damaged during separate fires and once by a tornado. The great depression proved to be the final blow and the amusement park was closed in 1933. This is yet another example of a short-lived venture associated with the lake.
The beginning of what may ultimately turn out to be the end of Grand Lake St. Marys had a grasp on the lake before anyone would notice. Many different forms of pollution were being introduced to the lake upsetting the natural order and throwing the unseen habitat below the water into chaos. The runoff from agriculture has played a major role in the continuing battle against water pollution. The excess nutrients that make it into the lake provide a boost to the toxic blue-green algae that currently occupies the lake. The blue-green algae contain toxins that can be harmful to humans which is why it is recommended that contact with the water be avoided.
The success and appeal of Grand Lake St. Marys itself may have also accelerated the decline of the lake. As the popularity of the lake grew so did the surrounding community. Many would choose Grand Lake St. Marys to call home given the natural world that one steps into by merely walking out the front door. Homes in the surrounding communities rely on septic tanks to dispose of the sewage from their homes. The septic systems have become outdated and are adding an additional layer to the pollution that has taken over the lake.
The current inhabitants of Grand Lake St. Marys vary greatly. On the main land white tailed deer move through the tree line and on occasion a mink. There has also been a recent return of the bald eagle to the area that has built many nests. The aquatic life consists of many different species of fish including bluegill, bass, walleye and perch. Unfortunately, the wildlife of the area are also at risk due to the pollution crisis. Thousands of fish were killed when the blue green algae first started rising at alarming rates. All of the wildlife in the area rely on the lake and surrounding streams for water and may be at risk of suffering some sort of long-term effect or generational effect as a result of the pollution.
Grand Lake St. Marys was a normal vacationing destination for my family. My grandparents would load their RV up with fishing gear and food before we would make the quick hour and a half drive to the lake. The side door on the RV would fly open as my grandfather slowly backed into our campsite and before coming to a stop we were on our way through the woods to the shoreline. The water was always the main reason for coming to the lake. The days were a constant back and forth between fishing and swimming or possibly doing both at the same time. The night however offered its own kind of fun that required darkness.
In that darkness of night, a bit of mythology and mystery also existed at Grand Lake St. Marys. The notorious Hoedag, a creature that lived in the water of Grand Lake St. Marys. Exactly what the Hoedag looked like is unclear. From my best recollection of all the stories I have heard it is a mix of many different animals. Many of the locals had shared their stories about the Hoedag with me, often at one of the diners while we ate. So, armed with flashlights and bait we would spend most nights scanning the lake hoping to see a glimpse of the beast. I never saw the Hoedag but I do wonder if he were around at this point in the lake's history how he would survive in the deteriorating habitat.
The future of Grand Lake St. Marys, like the water, is a bit murky. Years of contamination have taken its toll on the lake and currently keep visitors from enjoying the water itself. As a result, the number of visitors has dropped dramatically as the years with polluted water have gone by. Efforts are being made to restore the lake to its former glory but progress remains slow at best. In the end the appeal of a natural resource that could cause illness will deter many and inevitably all that would otherwise frequent the lake. The lake itself began as an industrial endeavor that now finds itself entangled in a conservation catastrophe.
The history of the land that Grand Lake St. Marys is built on has changed a number of times over the past few hundred years all of which were driven but humans. The land was changed drastically upon settlers arriving and creating farm land. More of the wetland was wiped out when the lake was created. Oil drilling was the next disturbance to occur on the lake. Followed by continuing settlement on the lake shore and the surrounding area are the main contributors to the current pollution crisis. The general feeling towards the lake is one of optimism. Many people believe the current pollution crisis will be solved eventually and normal activity in the lake will resume. There is a bit of irony in the fact that a man-made habitat created by destroying a naturally occurring wetland for economic purposes is now a major conservation and restoration effort in itself.
Works Cited
“The Aqua Life at Grand Lake St. Marys.” Greater Grand Lake Visitors Region, seemore.org/play/lake-life/the-aqua-life-at-grand-lake/.
DeBrosse, Jim. “Grand Lake St. Marys 'Dying' from Toxic Algae.” Dayton, Dayton Daily News, 3 July 2010, www.daytondailynews.com/news/local/grand-lake-marys-dying-from-toxic-algae/sJ0D6d5BfSbuGYWGMmi9NK/.
“Grand Lakes St. Marys Educational Series: History of GLSM What You Don't Know.” Lake Improvement Association, 29 Dec. 2018, lakeimprovement.com/history/.
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“Gallery.” Lake Improvement Association, 29 Dec. 2016, lakeimprovement.com/gallery/.