Providence, Ohio
Encyclopedia
Providence is a ghost town
on the Maumee River
in southern Providence Township
, Lucas County
, Ohio
, United States
, about 24 miles (39 km) southwest of Toledo
.
, who was the first white man to move up the Maumee River
. He arrived there in 1816 in order to establish a fur trading post for the Northwestern Fur Company. In 1822, Manor had a sawmill
erected next to the river, and a gristmill
was built in 1835.
Talk of the proposed Miami and Erie Canal
and a lack of goods and services required by westward travelers prompted Manor to plat
the town. In 1837, the State of Ohio
granted Manor a contract to begin construction, and the town was soon open for business. By 1843, some of the eighty-eight lots laid out were vacated. The village was, in general, considered a favorable place to live by the westward travelers, often seen as a haven from the problems of lawlessness, drinking, fighting, and crime that typically plagued Ohio canal towns.
The fall of Providence began when fire swept through the village in 1846. The fire was catastrophic and destroyed most of the central business district. The buildings that were destroyed were never rebuilt, leaving the people of Providence to a more practical life. Tragedy struck again in 1854 when travelers through the village infested it with cholera
. Those that kept their lives left Providence so fast that most of their possessions were left behind.
The remaining structures were eventually destroyed or moved, and the land plots disappeared. On October 28, 1928, the county
officially removed Providence from its records. The remaining buildings, the church and the mill, have been designated an historic district
by the Department of the Interior.
was vital to the growth and development of Providence. The canal not only brought goods to the village; it brought passengers, both immigrants and frontiersmen. They found the prospect of water travel to have more of an advantage over traditional horse and carriage. Because of the large influx of travelers, Providence grew daily.
Once the canal began operation, the people of Providence experienced a dramatic lifestyle change. The local economy boomed because of the surplus produce
, pelts
, grain
, and other goods that constantly flowed through the village. When the railroads were completed in the 1870s, canal traffic greatly diminished, and the canal was abandoned by the 1900s. The slow pace and low capacity of canal boats was no match for locomotives.
Near the gristmill
was Lock No. 44 of the canal system which has been restored. It is now part of Providence Metropark
that includes the fully operational Isaac Ludwig mill. The park runs a replica canal boat, The Volunteer, for visitors that travels along the small section of canal and goes through Lock No. 44.
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
on the Maumee River
Maumee River
The Maumee River is a river in northwestern Ohio and northeastern Indiana in the United States. It is formed at Fort Wayne, Indiana by the confluence of the St. Joseph and St. Marys rivers, and meanders northeastwardly for through an agricultural region of glacial moraines before flowing into the...
in southern Providence Township
Providence Township, Lucas County, Ohio
Providence Township is one of the eleven townships of Lucas County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 3,454 people in the township.-Geography:...
, Lucas County
Lucas County, Ohio
----...
, 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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, about 24 miles (39 km) southwest of Toledo
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
.
History
The village of Providence was founded by a Frenchman, Peter ManorPeter Manor
Peter Manor was probably best known as the founder of the town of Providence, Ohio. Manor was of French decent and initially made a living travelling and trading with Native Americans primarily in northwest Ohio starting in the late 18th century. Manor was considered by the Native Americans to be...
, who was the first white man to move up the Maumee River
Maumee River
The Maumee River is a river in northwestern Ohio and northeastern Indiana in the United States. It is formed at Fort Wayne, Indiana by the confluence of the St. Joseph and St. Marys rivers, and meanders northeastwardly for through an agricultural region of glacial moraines before flowing into the...
. He arrived there in 1816 in order to establish a fur trading post for the Northwestern Fur Company. In 1822, Manor had a sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
erected next to the river, and a gristmill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
was built in 1835.
Talk of the proposed Miami and Erie Canal
Miami and Erie Canal
The Miami and Erie Canal was a canal that connected the Ohio River in Cincinnati, Ohio with Lake Erie in Toledo, Ohio. Construction on the canal began in 1825 and was completed in 1845. It consisted of 19 aqueducts, three guard locks, and 103 canal locks. Each lock measured by and they...
and a lack of goods and services required by westward travelers prompted Manor to plat
Plat
A plat in the U.S. is a map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. Other English-speaking countries generally call such documents a cadastral map or plan....
the town. In 1837, the State of 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...
granted Manor a contract to begin construction, and the town was soon open for business. By 1843, some of the eighty-eight lots laid out were vacated. The village was, in general, considered a favorable place to live by the westward travelers, often seen as a haven from the problems of lawlessness, drinking, fighting, and crime that typically plagued Ohio canal towns.
The fall of Providence began when fire swept through the village in 1846. The fire was catastrophic and destroyed most of the central business district. The buildings that were destroyed were never rebuilt, leaving the people of Providence to a more practical life. Tragedy struck again in 1854 when travelers through the village infested it with cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
. Those that kept their lives left Providence so fast that most of their possessions were left behind.
The remaining structures were eventually destroyed or moved, and the land plots disappeared. On October 28, 1928, the county
Lucas County, Ohio
----...
officially removed Providence from its records. The remaining buildings, the church and the mill, have been designated an historic district
Historic district
A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries, historic districts receive legal protection from development....
by the Department of the Interior.
Miami and Erie Canal
The Miami and Erie CanalMiami and Erie Canal
The Miami and Erie Canal was a canal that connected the Ohio River in Cincinnati, Ohio with Lake Erie in Toledo, Ohio. Construction on the canal began in 1825 and was completed in 1845. It consisted of 19 aqueducts, three guard locks, and 103 canal locks. Each lock measured by and they...
was vital to the growth and development of Providence. The canal not only brought goods to the village; it brought passengers, both immigrants and frontiersmen. They found the prospect of water travel to have more of an advantage over traditional horse and carriage. Because of the large influx of travelers, Providence grew daily.
Once the canal began operation, the people of Providence experienced a dramatic lifestyle change. The local economy boomed because of the surplus produce
Produce
Produce is a generalized term for a group of farm-produced goods and, not limited to fruits and vegetables . More specifically, the term "produce" often implies that the products are fresh and generally in the same state as where they were harvested. In supermarkets the term is also used to refer...
, pelts
Fur
Fur is a synonym for hair, used more in reference to non-human animals, usually mammals; particularly those with extensives body hair coverage. The term is sometimes used to refer to the body hair of an animal as a complete coat, also known as the "pelage". Fur is also used to refer to animal...
, grain
GRAIN
GRAIN is a small international non-profit organisation that works to support small farmers and social movements in their struggles for community-controlled and biodiversity-based food systems. Our support takes the form of independent research and analysis, networking at local, regional and...
, and other goods that constantly flowed through the village. When the railroads were completed in the 1870s, canal traffic greatly diminished, and the canal was abandoned by the 1900s. The slow pace and low capacity of canal boats was no match for locomotives.
Near the gristmill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
was Lock No. 44 of the canal system which has been restored. It is now part of Providence Metropark
Providence Metropark
Providence Metropark is a regional park located near Grand Rapids, Ohio that is part of the Toledo Metroparks. The park contains authentic canal boat rides on the Miami and Erie Canal and features canal lock 44, the only original functioning lock in the state of Ohio.-External links:*...
that includes the fully operational Isaac Ludwig mill. The park runs a replica canal boat, The Volunteer, for visitors that travels along the small section of canal and goes through Lock No. 44.
Remaining structures
There are still many buildings and structures standing in the Providence area. Some have been kept original while others have been restored. Among these buildings are the following:- Isaac Ludwig mill, now restored in the Historic Providence District
- Providence Metropark, a member of the Toledo MetroparksToledo MetroparksThe Metroparks of the Toledo Area are a series of twelve parks in the Toledo, Ohio area: Bend View Metropark, the Blue Creek Conservation Area, the Fallen Timbers Battlefield, Farnsworth Metropark, Oak Openings Preserve Metropark, Pearson's Metropark, Providence Metropark, Secor Metropark, the...
system, which features a lookout for the Providence dam - Providence Township Schools; four buildings are still standing:
- The Perry School (Neowash and Manore road)
- Long School (Heller and Neowash Road)
- Strayer School (Neowash and State Route 295Ohio State Route 295State Route 295 ' is a a north–west state highway in northwestern Ohio, a U.S. state. The southern terminus of State Route 295 is at a T-intersection with U.S. Route 24 approximately southwest of Waterville. Its northern terminus is at the Michigan State Line in Berkey...
) - Box School (Box and Jeffers Road)
- St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church, still in use, built in 1845 (the church hall and kitchen were added in 1954)