Blue Hole (Castalia)
Encyclopedia
The Blue Hole is a fresh water pond
located in Castalia
, Erie County
, Ohio
, in the United States. From the 1920s to 1990 the Blue Hole was a tourist site
, attracting 165,000 visitors annually at the height of its popularity, partly because of its location on State Route 269, about seven miles southwest of the Cedar Point
amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio
.
The Blue Hole,being about 75 feet in diameter, captured the public’s interest because of its clarity, vibrant blue hue and enigmatic “bottomless” appearance. Contrary to prevalent belief, the depth of the Blue Hole is not unknown, but has been sounded and found to be about forty-three to forty-five feet deep Source. Water temperature is about 48 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the year. Floods and droughts have no effect on temperature or water level. The Blue Hole is fed by a passing underground stream
which discharges 7 million USgals (26,497.9 m³) of water daily into Sandusky Bay
to the north, feeding into Lake Erie
. The water contains lime
, soda
, magnesia
and iron
, and because the Blue Hole is anoxic
, it cannot naturally sustain fish. The surrounding terrain
is largely limestone
, which erodes quickly upon contact with ground water, creating water-filled sinkholes. The Blue Hole was known to American Indians
and was first recorded in history in 1761. Several similar blue holes are known to local residents. The actual original Blue Hole is now off limits to the public and is located on the Castalia State Fish Hatchery operated by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources
, Division of Wildlife. Another hole similar in size and eerie bluish-green color is open for public viewing at the hatchery.
Pond
A pond is a body of standing water, either natural or man-made, that is usually smaller than a lake. A wide variety of man-made bodies of water are classified as ponds, including water gardens, water features and koi ponds; all designed for aesthetic ornamentation as landscape or architectural...
located in Castalia
Castalia, Ohio
Castalia is a village in Erie County, Ohio, United States. The population was 935 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Sandusky, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Castalia is located at ....
, Erie County
Erie County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 79,551 people, 31,727 households, and 21,764 families residing in the county. The population density was 312 people per square mile . There were 35,909 housing units at an average density of 141 per square mile...
, 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 the United States. From the 1920s to 1990 the Blue Hole was a tourist site
Tourist attraction
A tourist attraction is a place of interest where tourists visit, typically for its inherent or exhibited cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, or amusement opportunities....
, attracting 165,000 visitors annually at the height of its popularity, partly because of its location on State Route 269, about seven miles southwest of the Cedar Point
Cedar Point
Cedar Point is a 364 acre amusement park located in Sandusky, Ohio, United States on a narrow peninsula jutting into Lake Erie. Cedar Point is the only amusement park with four roller coasters that are taller than...
amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio
Sandusky, Ohio
Sandusky is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Erie County. It is located in northern Ohio and is situated on the shores of Lake Erie, almost exactly half-way between Toledo to the west and Cleveland to the east....
.
The Blue Hole,being about 75 feet in diameter, captured the public’s interest because of its clarity, vibrant blue hue and enigmatic “bottomless” appearance. Contrary to prevalent belief, the depth of the Blue Hole is not unknown, but has been sounded and found to be about forty-three to forty-five feet deep Source. Water temperature is about 48 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the year. Floods and droughts have no effect on temperature or water level. The Blue Hole is fed by a passing underground stream
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
which discharges 7 million USgals (26,497.9 m³) of water daily into Sandusky Bay
Sandusky Bay
Sandusky Bay is a body of water situated in between Erie, Ottawa, and Sandusky counties in the U.S. state of Ohio and just to the south of Lake Erie. Sandusky Bay runs from Muddy Creek Bay to Cedar Point, which is part of Sandusky....
to the north, feeding into Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
. The water contains lime
Lime (mineral)
Lime is a general term for calcium-containing inorganic materials, in which carbonates, oxides and hydroxides predominate. Strictly speaking, lime is calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide. It is also the name for a single mineral of the CaO composition, occurring very rarely...
, soda
Sodium carbonate
Sodium carbonate , Na2CO3 is a sodium salt of carbonic acid. It most commonly occurs as a crystalline heptahydrate, which readily effloresces to form a white powder, the monohydrate. Sodium carbonate is domestically well-known for its everyday use as a water softener. It can be extracted from the...
, magnesia
Magnesium oxide
Magnesium oxide , or magnesia, is a white hygroscopic solid mineral that occurs naturally as periclase and is a source of magnesium . It has an empirical formula of and consists of a lattice of Mg2+ ions and O2– ions held together by ionic bonds...
and iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
, and because the Blue Hole is anoxic
Hypoxia (environmental)
Hypoxia, or oxygen depletion, is a phenomenon that occurs in aquatic environments as dissolved oxygen becomes reduced in concentration to a point where it becomes detrimental to aquatic organisms living in the system...
, it cannot naturally sustain fish. The surrounding terrain
Terrain
Terrain, or land relief, is the vertical and horizontal dimension of land surface. When relief is described underwater, the term bathymetry is used...
is largely limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
, which erodes quickly upon contact with ground water, creating water-filled sinkholes. The Blue Hole was known to American Indians
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...
and was first recorded in history in 1761. Several similar blue holes are known to local residents. The actual original Blue Hole is now off limits to the public and is located on the Castalia State Fish Hatchery operated by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Ohio Department of Natural Resources
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources was created in 1949 by the Ohio Legislature. It is a government agency in the U.S. state of Ohio charged with maintaining natural resources such as state parks, public lands, state forests, state waterways, and recreation areas.Divisions of ODNR...
, Division of Wildlife. Another hole similar in size and eerie bluish-green color is open for public viewing at the hatchery.
External links
- ODNR State Fish Hatchery page
- Live Search Maps "Birds Eye View" of original Blue Hole (Rotate for additional views)
- Live Search Maps "Birds Eye View" of original entrance (Rotate for additional views)
- Vintage photograph postcards of Blue Hole