euclid creek east branch hike
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Bluestone Heights
Looking west from the bluestone cataract waterfall.
Friends of Euclid Creek
for the
Photo: J. Danforth
Wednesday, August 6, 6:30 pm264 Richmond Rd, Richmond Heights
© 2014 Bluestone Heights
Walk back in time Look toward the Future
Greenwood Farm Ravine Preserve
Euclid Creek East Branch
216-524-6580 x 16 / CPosius@cuyahogaswcd.org
Mid Summer’s Night Social
Portage Escarpment nature and history
Photo: J. Danforth
for the
Bluestone Heights
Friends of Euclid Creek
Roy Larick and Claire Posius
Join us at Greenwood Farm
© 2014 Bluestone Heights
Presentations by
216-524-6580 x 16 / CPosius@cuyahogaswcd.org
Friends of Euclid CreekGreenwood Farm AssociationHighland Hts Green Task Force
Mid Summer’s Night Social
Looking west from the bluestone cataract waterfall.
Greenwood Farm Ravine Preserve
Euclid Creek East Branch
Portage Escarpment nature and history
Bluestone Heights
Friends of Euclid Creek
for the
Photo: J. Danforth© 2014 Bluestone Heights
August 6, 2014 brings Mid Summer’s Night Social, a joint meeting of the Friends of Euclid Creek, the Highland Heights Green Task Force, and the Greenwood Farm Association.
Greenwood Farm straddles Euclid Creek east branch, just below the Euclid bluestone waterfall. At the meeting, we will hike the east branch gorge in the area of the falls.
Greenwood Farm and the nearby Redstone Run Reserve are models for conserving escarpment run (lake-direct) ravines in Euclid and Richmond Heights.
Looking west from the bluestone cataract waterfall.
Greenwood Farm Ravine Preserve
Euclid Creek East Branch
Portage Escarpment nature and history
Euclid
Euclid Creek east branch on the Portage Escarpment
Redstone Run
USGS LiDAR elevations railsandtrails.com Google Earth aerial viewer
Euclid bluestone terrace
Euclid CreekM
ain branch
East branch
Clar
ibel
Stev
enso
n Br
ook
Berea Sandstone terrace
Euclid Creek’s east branch drains the Euclid bluestone terrace of western Lake and eastern Cuyahoga Counties.
At Greenwood Farm, the east branch cuts through the hard bluestone to extend a gorge in the underlying soft shale.
© 2014 Bluestone Heights
Creek
Highland Rd
Chardon Rd
Richmond Rd
Bishop RdWhite Rd
Sout
heas
tBerea ‘redstone’ massif
Moraine
E 222
nd St
Highland Reserve
Greenwood Farm
Join us to walk the head of the gorge
With glacial retreat, 16,000 years ago, rushing melt water generated many streams along the Portage Escarpment. Euclid Creek formed between the pre-glacial Cuyahoga and Chagrin valleys.
EuclidMoraine
bluestone
Ber
ea
Euclid Creek
watershed
© 2014 Bluestone Heights
The east branch gathers headwaters forced westward along the Euclid Moraine.
Portage Escarpmentdeglaciation
The main branch begins in high on the escarpment to flow northward.
Chagrin ValleyCuyahoga Valley
Portage
Escarp
ment
Ric
hm
on
d R
d
Mayfield Rd
terrace
Eucl
id
terrace
Sandstone
Greenwood Farm
© 2014 Bluestone Heights
The Euclid Moraine & the East Branch
Euclid
Moraine
Portage Escarpment at Euclid Creek east branch
Creek
Euclid
Mai
n br
anch
East branch
Claribel Creek
Stevenson Brook
Portage Escarpment nature and history
USGS LiDAR elevations railsandtrails.com Google Earth aerial viewer
Redstone Run
Highland Reserve
Greenwood Farm
For a short time, 14,000 years ago, the retreating ice stalled on the escarpment north edge and dropped a ribbon of fine debris.
This Euclid Moraine extended from Euclid Creek westward into New York State.
The moraine forced melt water westward, thereby forming Euclid Creek east branch.
Several north-flowing streams, including Stevenson Brook and Claribel Creek, became tributary to the east branch.
Chardon Rd
Ric
hm
on
d R
dIn early settler days, Chardon Rd was set on top of the moraine.
© 2014 Bluestone Heights
Euclid bluestone terrace
Euclid
Moraine
bluestone
terra
ce
Portage Escarpment at Euclid Creek east branch
Creek
Euclid
Mai
n br
anch
East branch
Claribel Creek
Stevenson Brook
Berea S
andstone
terrace
As the east branch and tributaries flow across the terrace, each cuts a knick point waterfall and gorge.
During the last 14,000 years, the bluestone knick points have migrated upstream approximately one mile.
The east branch begins atop the Euclid bluestone, a broad expanse of hard fine sandstone. The cap rock resisted several Ice Age episodes of glacial buldozing.
Now, the bluestone cap rock forms the surface of a large plain stretching from Cleveland Heights eastward to the Chagrin River—the bluestone terrace.
D. Lawrence
Euclid bluestone cap, Redstone Run
Portage Escarpment nature and history
USGS LiDAR elevations railsandtrails.com Google Earth aerial viewer
Bluestone Knick Points
Redstone Run
Highland Reserve
Greenwood Farm
Chardon Rd
Ric
hm
on
d R
d
© 2014 Bluestone Heights
Greenwood Farm Ravine Preserve
Greenwood Farm 264 Richmond Rd, Richmond Heights, OH 44143
Euclid
Moraine
bluestone
terra
ce
Creek
Euclid
Mai
n br
anch
East branch
Claribel Creek
Stevenson Brook
Berea S
andstone
terrace
Euclid Creek east branch knick point waterfall
USGS LiDAR elevations railsandtrails.com Google Earth aerial viewer
Redstone Run
Portage Escarpment at Euclid Creek east br.
Highland Reserve
Greenwood Farm
Greenwood Farm lies where the east branch falls over the Euclid bluestone.
The Greenwood Farm tour explores the falls area, known geologically as a ‘knick point’.
As with all Bluestone Heights tours, the Greenwood Farm hike explores the unique weave of nature and culture at a special place.
Greenwood Farm
Chardon Rd
Ric
hm
on
d R
d
falls
In 1798, the Connecticut Land Co. employed John Moss and others to cut Girdled Rd west from the Pennsylvania line to Euclid. The west terminus route is currently found in OH-84 and Bishop Rd (yellow).
In 1798, Moss bought 720 acres on Euclid Township’s east line (blue). Moss may have wanted to take advantage of the crossroad and the east branch bluestone knick point waterfall.
In 1809, Abraham Bishop acquired the knick point area and established a grist mill.
In 1814, Jonathan and son Seth D. Pelton bought the mill and operated it for a number of years.
Knick Point History OutlineAlso in 1798, Moss bought 84 acres on Euclid’s
shoreline bulge. The area still bears the
name, Moss Point.
A number of transactions followed until 1908, when George and Maude Phypers bought 18.62 acres just below the knick point. They named the parcel Greenwood Farm (red).
Chardon RdR
ich
mo
nd
Rd
In 1828, Euclid Township trustees established 10 school districts. District 6 centered on Peltons Corners.
Euclid Dist 6 ‘Beechnut’ schoolhouse, c. 1890 When the Phypers bought in 1908, the 18.62-
acre parcel held a mid-nineteenth century farmhouse. The Phypers planned to enlarge and update the house, but it burned in 1916.
Early settler farmhouse, burned 1916
In 1917, the Phypers decided to build a new house. They contracted to have it built of paving brick, probably from the Buckeye Brick Co. in Eucliid.
At 3,796 sq ft, the house was by far the largest in newly formed Richmond Heights. The dwelling featured a finished attic and large porch.
Phypers house under construction, 1917
Garrison et al. 2005
Phypers collection
Phypers collection
Euclid History Museum
Greenwood Farm basics
In 2004, the City of Richmond Heights purchased 17 remaining acres from the last residing Phypers descendants.
Presently, the Greenwood Farm Historical, Cultural & Arts Association, Inc is charged to preserve the farm and grounds, and to promote local arts, culture, education and history.
Greenwood Farm Historical, Cultural & Arts Association
http://www.richmondheightsohio.org/GreenwoodFarm.php
© 2014 Bluestone Heights
Escarpment Run Ravine Preserves
Euclid
Moraine
bluestone
terra
ce
Creek
Euclid
Mai
n br
anch
East branch
Claribel Creek
Stevenson Brook
Berea S
andstone
terrace
D. Lawrence
Euclid bluestone cap, Redstone Run
USGS LiDAR elevations railsandtrails.com Google Earth aerial viewer
Burk Run
Green Creek
Lilly Run
Babbitt Run
Bluestone knick points are also found on the north side of the Euclid Moraine, where small escarpment runs drain to Lake Erie.
The escarpment runs are younger than the Euclid Creek headwaters south of the moraine. Below the knick points, the channels cut through moraine deposits, not shale.
The ravines are short but voluminious, with special ecologies.
Four large escarpment ravines are available for conservation within Euclid and Richmond Heights.
Now is the time to preserve these ecological treasures.
Redstone Run
Greenwood Farm and the nearby Redstone Run Reserve are models for conserving escarpment run (lake-direct) ravines in Euclid and Richmond Heights.
Highland Reserve
Portage Escarpment at Euclid Creek E br.
Ric
hm
on
d R
d
Chardon Rd
Greenwood Farm
© 2014 Bluestone Heights
Lilly Run Escarpment Ravine
Euclid
Moraine
bluestone
terra
ce
Portage Escarpment at Euclid Creek east br.
Creek
Euclid
Mai
n br
anch
East branch
Claribel Creek
Stevenson Brook
Berea S
andstone
terrace
The main Lilly Run escarpment ravine is related to Euclid Creek east branch.
The Lilly ravine is a near mirror to the east branch. Both ravines have bluestone knick points opposite each other on the Euclid Moraine. The east branch flow southwest along the moraine. Lilly Run heads northwest off the moraine and continues down the escarpment to the lake plain.
The Lilly ravine is nearly hidden from public view. It is covered by just a few parcels.
The ravine has the remains of an irrigation pond.
The City of Euclid is assembling foreclosed parcels. Paul Kovalcik is coordinating an ecological inventory.
USGS LiDAR elevations railsandtrails.com Google Earth aerial viewer
Burk Run
Green Creek
Lilly Run
Babbitt Run
Redstone Run
One possible escarpment ravine preserve covering Euclid and Richmond Heights.
Highland Reserve R
ich
mo
nd
Rd
Chardon Rd
Bluestone Heights
Looking west from the bluestone cataract waterfall.
Friends of Euclid Creek
for the
Photo: J. Danforth
Wednesday, August 6, 6:30 pm264 Richmond Rd, Richmond Heights
© 2014 Bluestone Heights
Walk back in time Look toward the Future
Greenwood Farm Ravine Preserve
Euclid Creek East Branch
216-524-6580 x 16 / CPosius@cuyahogaswcd.org
Mid Summer’s Night Social
Portage Escarpment nature and history
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