Adams Lake State Park
Encyclopedia
Adams Lake State Park is a 95 acres (38.4 ha) Ohio state park near West Union
, in Adams County
, Ohio
in the United States. The park is named for Adams Lake which was built to supply fresh water to the village of West Union. When West Union established another water source in 1950 the lake and the surrounding property was purchased by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
is just north of the park along Ohio Route 41. This structure was believed built by the Adena culture
that lasted from 1000 B.C. to about 100
. But recent findings possibly attribute the construction of the mound to the Fort Ancient
culture.
The Serpent Mound is the largest effigy mound in the world. While there are several burial mounds around the Serpent mound site, the Serpent itself does not contain any human remains and was not constructed for burial purposes.
The Shawnee
were the strongest Native American
tribe in what is now the Adams County at the time of the arrival of Anglo-American
settlers to the Ohio River Valley. The first whites to enter the area were fur
trappers. They were soon followed by farmer
s as the Northwest Territory
was settled in the years following the American Revolutionary War
.
Adams Lake was created to supply drinking water
to the county seat
of Adams County. Ownership of the lake and its surrounding land was transferred to the state of Ohio in 1950 at which time Adams Lake State Park was founded.
habitat in Ohio. The prairies began growing in southern Ohio at the end of the last ice age, due to a warmer and drier climate caused by the Holocene climatic optimum
. As the climate cooled down and precipitation increased in more modern times, the prairie plants found refuge in these dry, rocky openings. Native American fires
may have also played a role in maintaining this landscape. Plants found in this disjunct area of prairie include purple coneflower
, prairie dock
, and little bluestem
flowers. Adams Lake prairie is a dry, sparsely vegetated area. The only trees in the prairie opening are sporadically occurring red cedar
, post oak
, and others which can survive the extreme soil conditions.
Rare plants in the prairie include cylindrical blazing star
, scaly blazing star, rattlesnake-master
and blackjack oak
.
, channel catfish
, carp
, bullhead
and largemouth bass
. All angler
s are required to have a valid Ohio fishing license. Picnicking is permitted at the park, but all visitors are required to carry out their trash. Trash bins are not provided. A ¾ mile trail borders the southern portion of Adams Lake.
West Union, Ohio
West Union is a village in Adams County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,903 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Adams County....
, in Adams County
Adams County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 27,330 people, 10,501 households, and 7,613 families residing in the county. The population density was 47 people per square mile . There were 11,822 housing units at an average density of 20 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. The park is named for Adams Lake which was built to supply fresh water to the village of West Union. When West Union established another water source in 1950 the lake and the surrounding property was purchased by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
History
Adams Lake State Park is in an area that was once the domain of prehistoric and mound building cultures. Serpent MoundSerpent Mound
The Great Serpent Mound is a -long, three-foot-high prehistoric effigy mound located on a plateau of the Serpent Mound crater along Ohio Brush Creek in Adams County, Ohio. Maintained within a park by the Ohio Historical Society, it has been designated a National Historic Landmark by the United...
is just north of the park along Ohio Route 41. This structure was believed built by the Adena culture
Adena culture
The Adena culture was a Pre-Columbian Native American culture that existed from 1000 to 200 BC, in a time known as the early Woodland Period. The Adena culture refers to what were probably a number of related Native American societies sharing a burial complex and ceremonial system...
that lasted from 1000 B.C. to about 100
100
Year 100 was a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Traianus and Frontinus...
. But recent findings possibly attribute the construction of the mound to the Fort Ancient
Fort Ancient
Fort Ancient is a name for a Native American culture that flourished from 1000-1750 CE among a people who predominantly inhabited land along the Ohio River in areas of modern-day Southern Ohio, Northern Kentucky, Southeastern Indiana and Western West Virginia. They were a maize based agricultural...
culture.
The Serpent Mound is the largest effigy mound in the world. While there are several burial mounds around the Serpent mound site, the Serpent itself does not contain any human remains and was not constructed for burial purposes.
The Shawnee
Shawnee
The Shawnee, Shaawanwaki, Shaawanooki and Shaawanowi lenaweeki, are an Algonquian-speaking people native to North America. Historically they inhabited the areas of Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Western Maryland, Kentucky, Indiana, and Pennsylvania...
were the strongest Native American
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...
tribe in what is now the Adams County at the time of the arrival of Anglo-American
English American
English Americans are citizens or residents of the United States whose ancestry originates wholly or partly in England....
settlers to the Ohio River Valley. The first whites to enter the area were fur
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...
trappers. They were soon followed by farmer
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
s as the Northwest Territory
Northwest Territory
The Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, more commonly known as the Northwest Territory, was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 13, 1787, until March 1, 1803, when the southeastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Ohio...
was settled in the years following the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
.
Adams Lake was created to supply drinking water
Drinking water
Drinking water or potable water is water pure enough to be consumed or used with low risk of immediate or long term harm. In most developed countries, the water supplied to households, commerce and industry is all of drinking water standard, even though only a very small proportion is actually...
to the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Adams County. Ownership of the lake and its surrounding land was transferred to the state of Ohio in 1950 at which time Adams Lake State Park was founded.
Ecology
Adams Lake State Park is home to one of the last pockets of prairiePrairie
Prairies are considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the dominant vegetation type...
habitat in Ohio. The prairies began growing in southern Ohio at the end of the last ice age, due to a warmer and drier climate caused by the Holocene climatic optimum
Holocene climatic optimum
The Holocene Climate Optimum was a warm period during roughly the interval 9,000 to 5,000 years B.P.. This event has also been known by many other names, including: Hypsithermal, Altithermal, Climatic Optimum, Holocene Optimum, Holocene Thermal Maximum, and Holocene Megathermal.This warm period...
. As the climate cooled down and precipitation increased in more modern times, the prairie plants found refuge in these dry, rocky openings. Native American fires
Native American use of fire
In addition to simple cooking, Pre-Columbian Native Americans used fire in many and significant ways, ranging from protecting an area from fire to landscape-altering clearing of prairie.-Human-shaped landscape:...
may have also played a role in maintaining this landscape. Plants found in this disjunct area of prairie include purple coneflower
Echinacea
Echinacea is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae. The nine species it contains are commonly called purple coneflowers. They are endemic to eastern and central North America, where they are found growing in moist to dry prairies and open wooded areas. They have...
, prairie dock
Prairie dock
Prairie dock, a plant common name, can refer to:*Silphium perfoliatum*Silphium terebinthinaceum*Parthenium integrifolium...
, and little bluestem
Little bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium, commonly known as little bluestem or beard grass, is a North American prairie grass. Little bluestem is a perennial bunchgrass and is prominent in tallgrass prairie, along with big bluestem , indiangrass and switchgrass...
flowers. Adams Lake prairie is a dry, sparsely vegetated area. The only trees in the prairie opening are sporadically occurring red cedar
Juniperus virginiana
Juniperus virginiana is a species of juniper native to eastern North America, from southeastern Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, east of the Great Plains...
, post oak
Post oak
Quercus stellata is an oak in the white oak group. It is a small tree, typically 10–15 m tall and 30–60 cm trunk diameter, though occasional specimens reach 30 m tall and 140 cm diameter. It is native to the eastern United States, from Connecticut in the northeast, west to southern Iowa, southwest...
, and others which can survive the extreme soil conditions.
Rare plants in the prairie include cylindrical blazing star
Liatris cylindracea
Liatris cylindracea, also known as Barrelhead gayfeather, Cylindrical blazing star, or Ontario blazing star, is a plant species in the aster family Asteraceae and genus Liatris. It is native to north eastern and central North America, where it is found in habitats such as prairies, limestone and...
, scaly blazing star, rattlesnake-master
Eryngium yuccifolium
Eryngium yuccifolium is a common herbaceous perennial plant, native to the tallgrass prairies of central and eastern North America, from Minnesota east to Ohio and south to Texas and Florida. In the Chicago Region this species has a coefficient of conservatism of 9...
and blackjack oak
Blackjack oak
Quercus marilandica is a small oak, one of the red oak group Quercus sect. Lobatae, but fairly isolated from the others...
.
Recreation
Adams Lake State Park is open for year round recreation. Adams Lake is a 47 acres (190,202.4 m²) lake that is open for swimming and boating. Only non-powered boats with small electrical motors are permitted on the waters of the lake. There is a small boat launch at the park entrance. The lake provides a habitat bluegillBluegill
The Bluegill is a species of freshwater fish sometimes referred to as bream, brim, or copper nose. It is a member of the sunfish family Centrarchidae of the order Perciformes.-Range and distribution:...
, channel catfish
Channel catfish
Channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, is North America's most numerous catfish species. It is the official fish of Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Tennessee, and is informally referred to as a "channel cat". In the United States they are the most fished catfish species with approximately 8...
, carp
Carp
Carp are various species of oily freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae, a very large group of fish native to Europe and Asia. The cypriniformes are traditionally grouped with the Characiformes, Siluriformes and Gymnotiformes to create the superorder Ostariophysi, since these groups have certain...
, bullhead
Bullhead
-Fishes:* Certain sculpins, including:** European bullhead, Cottus gobio** Siberian bullhead, Cottus poecilopus** Norway bullhead, Taurulus Liljeborgi* Catfish of the genus Ameiurus, including:** Black bullhead, Ameiurus melas...
and largemouth bass
Largemouth bass
The largemouth bass is a species of black bass in the sunfish family native to North America . It is also known as widemouth bass, bigmouth, black bass, bucketmouth, Potter's fish, Florida bass, Florida largemouth, green bass, green trout, linesides, Oswego bass, southern largemouth...
. All angler
Angling
Angling is a method of fishing by means of an "angle" . The hook is usually attached to a fishing line and the line is often attached to a fishing rod. Fishing rods are usually fitted with a fishing reel that functions as a mechanism for storing, retrieving and paying out the line. The hook itself...
s are required to have a valid Ohio fishing license. Picnicking is permitted at the park, but all visitors are required to carry out their trash. Trash bins are not provided. A ¾ mile trail borders the southern portion of Adams Lake.
External links
- Adams Lake Prairie State Nature Preserve at ODNR Division of Natural Areas and Preserves
- Park Map
- Adams Lake Prairie State Nature Preserve at American Byways