Beaver Creek State Park
Encyclopedia
Beaver Creek State Park is a 2722 acres (1,101.6 ha) Ohio state park in Columbiana County
, Ohio in the United States. The park is near East Liverpool
on the banks of Little Beaver Creek
. It is open for year round recreation including, camping, boating, hunting, fishing and hiking. Historic remnants of the Sandy and Beaver Canal
can be found throughout the park. Confederate
General John Hunt Morgan
was captured near what is now the park after conducting raids
across the state during the American Civil War
.
, about 10,000 years ago. Archaeological digs nearby have uncovered arrowheads, pottery and knives that date back to these prehistoric Paleoindian
people.
The land in and around Beaver Creek State Park was inhabited by various Indian tribes
. The last tribe to call the area home before being forced out by the encroachment of Anglo-American settlers in the Ohio Country
were the Mingo
and Wyandot Indians. A massacre of Mingo leader Logan
's family nearby was the catalyst for Dunmore's War
.
The first permanent white settler in the area was John Quinn a trapper who moved into the Little Beaver Creek valley in 1790. He was soon followed by Anglo-American pioneers who cleared the forests and established frontier farms throughout eastern Ohio.
The Sandy and Beaver Canal
ran 73 miles (117 km) from the Ohio and Erie Canal
at Bolivar
, Ohio to the Ohio River
at Glasgow
, Pennsylvania
. It had 90 locks
, was chartered in 1828 and completed in 1848. However, the middle section of the canal had many problems from the beginning and fell into disrepair. The canal ceased to operate in 1852, when the Cold Run Reservoir Dam outside of Lisbon
, Ohio broke, ruining a large portion of the canal. Remnants of the canal can be found at Beaver Creek State Park.
John Hunt Morgan
was a Confederate
general and cavalry
officer in the American Civil War
. He is best known for Morgan's Raid
in 1863, when he led 2,460 troops racing past Union
lines into Kentucky
, Indiana
, and Ohio
in July 1863. This would be the farthest north any uniformed Confederate troops penetrated during the war. The raid ended when Morgan and his men were forced to surrender near what is now Beaver Creek State Park.
Beaver Creek State Park was established in 1949 with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
that was built in 1837 on Little Beaver Creek. It is now restored and is open to the public. The mill is in working condition with various displays of antique milling equipment located within the mill building. The mill works seasonally and grinds whole wheat
flour, cornmeal
and buckwheat
flour.
The historic recreation Pioneer Village features a log home, church, schoolhouse, general store and blacksmith
shop, and is next to the mill. The village is open on weekends during the summer season.
The Beaver Creek Wildlife Education Center features small live animals, natural history dioramas, displays of insects, arrowheads and nature photographs, and also houses a gift shop. The center's volunteers offer programs about nature and environmental conservation.
region is home to diverse plant and animal populations. The region contains nearly 70% of the woodlands in Ohio. At one time this same region was a barren wasteland that had been stripped of its old growth forests to provide fuel for the iron furnaces. The forests have since regrown with a diversity of hardwood
s including hickory
, oak
, and maple
.
Little Beaver Creek
is a state and national wild and scenic river
. It flows through the park and creates a gorge in the soft sandstone hills of the park. The walls of the gorge are quite steep with high cliffs over the creek. Little Beaver Creek supports 63 species of fish
, 49 mammal
species
, 140 types of birds and 46 species of reptile
s and amphibian
s, including the rare and protected salamander
known as the hellbender
.
A variety of animals are found in Beaver Creek State Park. These animals are protected from hunting in the park. They include most common Eastern Woodland creatures such as the White-tailed deer
, Skunk
s, Wild Turkey
s, Opossums, Raccoon
s, Eastern Gray Squirrel
s, Great Horned Owl
s and numerous songbirds, reptiles and amphibians. Plant life at the park includes Dame's violet, Goldenrod
, spring beauties
and asters.
which is a cold water fishery. Common game fish include smallmouth
and rock bass
. Anglers and hunters are required to have a license issued by the state. The creek is open to canoes and rubber rafts. There are 16 miles of trails open to hiking in the park.
Columbiana County, Ohio
Columbiana County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of 2010, the population was 107,841. It is named for Christopher Columbus and the county seat is Lisbon....
, Ohio in the United States. The park is near East Liverpool
East Liverpool, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,089 people, 5,261 households, and 3,424 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,010.3 people per square mile . There were 5,743 housing units at an average density of 1,320.8 per square mile...
on the banks of Little Beaver Creek
Little Beaver Creek
The Little Beaver Creek is a wild and scenic area in Ohio. The Little Beaver Creek watershed is located primarily in Columbiana County in northeast Ohio, and in portions of Carroll County, Mahoning County, and western Pennsylvania, draining approximately 605 mi² , of which 503 mi² are in Ohio...
. It is open for year round recreation including, camping, boating, hunting, fishing and hiking. Historic remnants of the Sandy and Beaver Canal
Sandy and Beaver Canal
The Sandy and Beaver Canal ran from the Ohio and Erie Canal at Bolivar, Ohio, to the Ohio River at Glasgow, Pennsylvania. It had 90 locks, was chartered in 1828 and completed in 1848. However, the middle section of the canal had many problems from the beginning and fell into disrepair...
can be found throughout the park. Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
General John Hunt Morgan
John Hunt Morgan
John Hunt Morgan was a Confederate general and cavalry officer in the American Civil War.Morgan is best known for Morgan's Raid when, in 1863, he and his men rode over 1,000 miles covering a region from Tennessee, up through Kentucky, into Indiana and on to southern Ohio...
was captured near what is now the park after conducting raids
Morgan's Raid
Morgan's Raid was a highly publicized incursion by Confederate cavalry into the Northern states of Indiana and Ohio during the American Civil War. The raid took place from June 11–July 26, 1863, and is named for the commander of the Confederates, Brig. Gen...
across the state during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
History
The history of human habitation in the Beaver Creek area dates back to the Clovis cultureClovis culture
The Clovis culture is a prehistoric Paleo-Indian culture that first appears 11,500 RCYBP , at the end of the last glacial period, characterized by the manufacture of "Clovis points" and distinctive bone and ivory tools...
, about 10,000 years ago. Archaeological digs nearby have uncovered arrowheads, pottery and knives that date back to these prehistoric Paleoindian
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
people.
The land in and around Beaver Creek State Park was inhabited by various Indian tribes
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
. The last tribe to call the area home before being forced out by the encroachment of Anglo-American settlers in the Ohio Country
Ohio Country
The Ohio Country was the name used in the 18th century for the regions of North America west of the Appalachian Mountains and in the region of the upper Ohio River south of Lake Erie...
were the Mingo
Mingo
The Mingo are an Iroquoian group of Native Americans made up of peoples who migrated west to the Ohio Country in the mid-eighteenth century. Anglo-Americans called these migrants mingos, a corruption of mingwe, an Eastern Algonquian name for Iroquoian-language groups in general. Mingos have also...
and Wyandot Indians. A massacre of Mingo leader Logan
Logan
Logan was a Native American leader.Logan may also refer to:- Australia :* Logan City, a local government area in Queensland* Electoral district of Logan, an electoral district in the Queensland Legislative Assembly...
's family nearby was the catalyst for Dunmore's War
Dunmore's War
Dunmore's War was a war in 1774 between the Colony of Virginia and the Shawnee and Mingo American Indian nations....
.
The first permanent white settler in the area was John Quinn a trapper who moved into the Little Beaver Creek valley in 1790. He was soon followed by Anglo-American pioneers who cleared the forests and established frontier farms throughout eastern Ohio.
The Sandy and Beaver Canal
Sandy and Beaver Canal
The Sandy and Beaver Canal ran from the Ohio and Erie Canal at Bolivar, Ohio, to the Ohio River at Glasgow, Pennsylvania. It had 90 locks, was chartered in 1828 and completed in 1848. However, the middle section of the canal had many problems from the beginning and fell into disrepair...
ran 73 miles (117 km) from the Ohio and Erie Canal
Ohio and Erie Canal
The Ohio Canal or Ohio and Erie Canal was a canal constructed in the 1820s and early 1830s. It connected Akron, Summit County, with the Cuyahoga River near its mouth on Lake Erie in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, and a few years later, with the Ohio River near Portsmouth, Scioto County, and then...
at Bolivar
Bolivar, Ohio
Bolivar is a village in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, United States. The population was 894 at the 2000 census. Bolivar is also home to Fort Laurens, the only American Revolutionary War-era fort in what is now Ohio.-History:...
, Ohio to the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
at Glasgow
Glasgow, Pennsylvania
Glasgow is a borough in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, U.S., along the Ohio River. The population was 63 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Glasgow is located at ....
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. It had 90 locks
Lock (water transport)
A lock is a device for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways. The distinguishing feature of a lock is a fixed chamber in which the water level can be varied; whereas in a caisson lock, a boat lift, or on a canal inclined plane, it is...
, was chartered in 1828 and completed in 1848. However, the middle section of the canal had many problems from the beginning and fell into disrepair. The canal ceased to operate in 1852, when the Cold Run Reservoir Dam outside of Lisbon
Lisbon, Ohio
Lisbon is a village in Center Township, Columbiana County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,788 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Columbiana County.-History:...
, Ohio broke, ruining a large portion of the canal. Remnants of the canal can be found at Beaver Creek State Park.
John Hunt Morgan
John Hunt Morgan
John Hunt Morgan was a Confederate general and cavalry officer in the American Civil War.Morgan is best known for Morgan's Raid when, in 1863, he and his men rode over 1,000 miles covering a region from Tennessee, up through Kentucky, into Indiana and on to southern Ohio...
was a Confederate
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
general and cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
officer in the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. He is best known for Morgan's Raid
Morgan's Raid
Morgan's Raid was a highly publicized incursion by Confederate cavalry into the Northern states of Indiana and Ohio during the American Civil War. The raid took place from June 11–July 26, 1863, and is named for the commander of the Confederates, Brig. Gen...
in 1863, when he led 2,460 troops racing past Union
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
lines into Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, and Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
in July 1863. This would be the farthest north any uniformed Confederate troops penetrated during the war. The raid ended when Morgan and his men were forced to surrender near what is now Beaver Creek State Park.
Beaver Creek State Park was established in 1949 with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
Attractions
Gaston's Mill is a historic millWatermill
A watermill is a structure that uses a water wheel or turbine to drive a mechanical process such as flour, lumber or textile production, or metal shaping .- History :...
that was built in 1837 on Little Beaver Creek. It is now restored and is open to the public. The mill is in working condition with various displays of antique milling equipment located within the mill building. The mill works seasonally and grinds whole wheat
Whole grain
Whole grains are cereal grains that contain cereal germ, endosperm, and bran, in contrast to refined grains, which retain only the endosperm. Whole grains can generally be sprouted while refined grains generally will not sprout. Whole-meal products are made by grinding whole grains in order to make...
flour, cornmeal
Cornmeal
Cornmeal is flour ground from dried maize or American corn. It is a common staple food, and is ground to fine, medium, and coarse consistencies. In the United States, the finely ground cornmeal is also referred to as cornflour. However, the word cornflour denotes cornstarch in recipes from the...
and buckwheat
Buckwheat
Buckwheat refers to a variety of plants in the dicot family Polygonaceae: the Eurasian genus Fagopyrum, the North American genus Eriogonum, and the Northern Hemisphere genus Fallopia. Either of the latter two may be referred to as "wild buckwheat"...
flour.
The historic recreation Pioneer Village features a log home, church, schoolhouse, general store and blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
shop, and is next to the mill. The village is open on weekends during the summer season.
The Beaver Creek Wildlife Education Center features small live animals, natural history dioramas, displays of insects, arrowheads and nature photographs, and also houses a gift shop. The center's volunteers offer programs about nature and environmental conservation.
Ecology
Beaver Creek State Park is in the Appalachian Highlands region of Ohio. The hilly sandstoneSandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
region is home to diverse plant and animal populations. The region contains nearly 70% of the woodlands in Ohio. At one time this same region was a barren wasteland that had been stripped of its old growth forests to provide fuel for the iron furnaces. The forests have since regrown with a diversity of hardwood
Hardwood
Hardwood is wood from angiosperm trees . It may also be used for those trees themselves: these are usually broad-leaved; in temperate and boreal latitudes they are mostly deciduous, but in tropics and subtropics mostly evergreen.Hardwood contrasts with softwood...
s including hickory
Hickory
Trees in the genus Carya are commonly known as hickory, derived from the Powhatan language of Virginia. The genus includes 17–19 species of deciduous trees with pinnately compound leaves and big nuts...
, oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
, and maple
Maple
Acer is a genus of trees or shrubs commonly known as maple.Maples are variously classified in a family of their own, the Aceraceae, or together with the Hippocastanaceae included in the family Sapindaceae. Modern classifications, including the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group system, favour inclusion in...
.
Little Beaver Creek
Little Beaver Creek
The Little Beaver Creek is a wild and scenic area in Ohio. The Little Beaver Creek watershed is located primarily in Columbiana County in northeast Ohio, and in portions of Carroll County, Mahoning County, and western Pennsylvania, draining approximately 605 mi² , of which 503 mi² are in Ohio...
is a state and national wild and scenic river
National Wild and Scenic River
National Wild and Scenic River is a designation for certain protected areas in the United States.The National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act was an outgrowth of the recommendations of a Presidential commission, the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission...
. It flows through the park and creates a gorge in the soft sandstone hills of the park. The walls of the gorge are quite steep with high cliffs over the creek. Little Beaver Creek supports 63 species of fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
, 49 mammal
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
, 140 types of birds and 46 species of reptile
Reptile
Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
s and amphibian
Amphibian
Amphibians , are a class of vertebrate animals including animals such as toads, frogs, caecilians, and salamanders. They are characterized as non-amniote ectothermic tetrapods...
s, including the rare and protected salamander
Salamander
Salamander is a common name of approximately 500 species of amphibians. They are typically characterized by a superficially lizard-like appearance, with their slender bodies, short noses, and long tails. All known fossils and extinct species fall under the order Caudata, while sometimes the extant...
known as the hellbender
Hellbender
The hellbender , also known as the hellbender salamander, is a species of giant salamander that is endemic to eastern North America...
.
A variety of animals are found in Beaver Creek State Park. These animals are protected from hunting in the park. They include most common Eastern Woodland creatures such as the White-tailed deer
White-tailed Deer
The white-tailed deer , also known as the Virginia deer or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized deer native to the United States , Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru...
, Skunk
Skunk
Skunks are mammals best known for their ability to secrete a liquid with a strong, foul odor. General appearance varies from species to species, from black-and-white to brown or cream colored. Skunks belong to the family Mephitidae and to the order Carnivora...
s, Wild Turkey
Wild Turkey
The Wild Turkey is native to North America and is the heaviest member of the Galliformes. It is the same species as the domestic turkey, which derives from the South Mexican subspecies of wild turkey .Adult wild turkeys have long reddish-yellow to grayish-green...
s, Opossums, Raccoon
Raccoon
Procyon is a genus of nocturnal mammals, comprising three species commonly known as raccoons, in the family Procyonidae. The most familiar species, the common raccoon , is often known simply as "the" raccoon, as the two other raccoon species in the genus are native only to the tropics and are...
s, Eastern Gray Squirrel
Eastern Gray Squirrel
The eastern gray squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus native to the eastern and midwestern United States, and to the southerly portions of the eastern provinces of Canada...
s, Great Horned Owl
Great Horned Owl
The Great Horned Owl, , also known as the Tiger Owl, is a large owl native to the Americas. It is an adaptable bird with a vast range and is the most widely distributed true owl in the Americas.-Description:...
s and numerous songbirds, reptiles and amphibians. Plant life at the park includes Dame's violet, Goldenrod
Goldenrod
Solidago, commonly called goldenrods, is a genus of about 100 species of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. Most are herbaceous perennial species found in the meadows and pastures, along roads, ditches and waste areas in North America. There are also a few species native to Mexico, South...
, spring beauties
Claytonia
Claytonia is a genus of 26 species of flowering plants in the family Montiaceae, primarily native to North America, with a few species extending south to Guatemala in Central America, and northwest to northeastern Asia....
and asters.
Recreation
Beaver Creek State Park is open for year round recreation. The park is bisected by Little Beaver CreekLittle Beaver Creek
The Little Beaver Creek is a wild and scenic area in Ohio. The Little Beaver Creek watershed is located primarily in Columbiana County in northeast Ohio, and in portions of Carroll County, Mahoning County, and western Pennsylvania, draining approximately 605 mi² , of which 503 mi² are in Ohio...
which is a cold water fishery. Common game fish include smallmouth
Smallmouth bass
The smallmouth bass is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of the order Perciformes. It is the type species of its genus...
and rock bass
Rock bass
The rock bass , also known as the rock perch, goggle-eye, or red eye is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. They are similar in appearance to smallmouth bass but are usually quite a bit smaller...
. Anglers and hunters are required to have a license issued by the state. The creek is open to canoes and rubber rafts. There are 16 miles of trails open to hiking in the park.
External links
- Beaver Creek State Park - official site
- Friends of Beaver Creek State Park - operates the Pioneer Village
- Beaver Creek Wildlife Education Center