The Ohio & Erie Canal was a technological marvel. The inland waterway incorporated a series of sandstone locks that enabled boats to climb differences in elevation along the Continental Divide. The steepest section of the canal was between Akron and the Little Cuyahoga River. In a single mile, 15 locks, or "steps," were necessary. Canal boats, which were pulled by mules on the towpath, made it possible to ship goods from the Great Lakes (Lake Erie) to the Gulf of Mexico (via the Ohio and Mississippi rivers). Locally, the canal, which opened between Cleveland and Akron in 1827, can be directly credited with the growth of Akron. The city's population swelled thanks to the bustling activity surrounding a tight bundle of canal locks.
By 1878, the canal's significance was in decline due to the introduction of railroads. After the flood of 1913, the canal was abandoned – less than 100 years after it opened. For many years, the canal was largely forgotten about or ignored. The concept of restoring the towpath for use as a multipurpose trail began to emerge in the 1980s, and the first section of the Towpath Trail opened in 1993. Almost overnight, visitation doubled to Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Restoration of the towpath quickly spread to municipalities and neighboring park districts, including Metro Parks.
Akron Area: Along this 6.67-mile stretch of the Towpath Trail, the Cuyahoga and Little Cuyahoga rivers provide habitat for a variety of aquatic wildlife. Birds include herons, geese, ducks and kingfishers. Frogs and salamanders mate and lay eggs in the pools that collect in the flood plains. Water-loving native and non-native trees and shrubs dominate the area; the native species include cottonwood, sycamore, elm and silver maple. The chewed stumps of some of these trees signal beaver activity. Along the sunny, shrub-less sections of trail, wildflowers abound.
Barberton Area: Plants that thrive in disrupted soils dominate along this 4.26-mile stretch of Towpath Trail, including both native and invasive species. Shrubs include sumac, blackberry and the invasive Japanese knotweed; trees include boxelder, black locust and the invasive tree-of-heaven. Summer and fall wildflowers include Queen Anne’s lace, yarrow, teasel, evening primrose and common mullein. The Tuscarawas River and the water-filled canal provide habitat for a variety of aquatic wildlife. Beavers, muskrats, painted and musk turtles, and several types of frogs may be observed along the canal. Kingfishers and great blue herons may be seen stalking fish.
Clinton Area: Along this 7.18-mile section, the rich, often-saturated soil of the river floodplain supports an abundance of wildflowers from spring to fall. A variety of insects, including many butterflies, are attracted to the flowers. A number of tree species can be found along the trail, especially those which thrive in wet areas, including hackberry, elm, silver maple, and swamp white oak. |