27 October 2016, Thursday
Today we visit Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Seems like near Cleveland the name is pronounced Cuyahoga (rhymes with sky-a-toga,) but in a film about the park the name seems to be pronounced k’hogga, with a short “o.” The park was established in 1974 to preserve the river valley, canal system and surrounding lands. It is a place I would visit frequently if I lived in the area. The government allows farming here, with the stipulation that all produce raised on this land is sold locally at farmers’ markets in the summer. There are also concerts here and classes on topics such as nature photography. There are many miles of hiking trails in addition to a 110 mile canal trail linking Akron and Cleveland. There are several visitor centers along the canal. We drive to the Boston Store visitor center. Here there are displays on the building of canal boats and the effect of the canal on commerce in Ohio. This building was originally a store, then a house and now is a beautiful visitor center.
We learn that the land around the Cuyahoga Valley was part of the Connecticut Western Reserve, a land grant given to Connecticut by King Charles II. After the Revolutionary War, Connecticut gave most of the land to the federal government in return for the government assuming Connecticut’s debt. Several million acres, however, were retained by Connecticut and later sold to a land development company which encouraged settlers from New England to come west. The area was called the Western Reserve, a name still used today (as in Case Western Reserve.) I guess the New England link may also explain why we drove through the towns of Middlebury, Burlington, and Montpelier, Ohio. Cleveland, itself, was named after Moses Cleaveland who was sent to survey the land.
Despite today’s dark and gloomy weather, O and I decide a hike is in order to stretch our legs before resuming our eastward journey. We drive through the park and find a trail leading to Tinker’s Creek Overlook and Bridal Veil Falls. The creek was almost dammed in the 1960’s, but public opposition prevented this and preserved the lovely gorge.
After our short hike and a visit to the local Trader Joe’s we hop back in the car and drive to the Spoonwood Brewing Company outside of Pittsburgh, which we had visited this past spring on our way home from Mammoth Cave. Once again food and brews are excellent. I find out the name Spoonwood comes from the mountain laurel whose wood is tough and which makes excellent spoons and trowels. Hence, Native Americans referred to it as spoonwood. The brewery’s 5-sided logo is a representation of the mountain laurel flower. Dinner is followed by a short drive to New Stanton, PA where we stop for the night.