MIAMI COUNTY PARK DISTRICT

 

 

 

 

Reserve
or
Preserve?

One of the most confusing terms when visiting one of the parks in the Miami County Park District is what is the difference between a Preserve and a Reserve?       

Originally the word "preserve" coming from the word preservation was meant that this park was for preserving the wildlife and plant life with minimal human impact and that nothing was to be removed from the "Preserve".

Parks such as Charleston Falls Preserve, Honey Creek Preserve, Goode Prairie Preserve, and Greenville Falls Preserve mean that no activities go on there except leisure activities which means , hiking, or bird watching and the general enjoyment of nature. The fishing at Greenville Falls is only because the Scenic Stillwater River belongs to the state of Ohio, not the Park District.

 The other parks, Garbry  Big Woods Reserve, Stillwater Prairie Reserve and Twin Arch Reserve are allowed other activities. The word "reserve" is interpreted as wise use of the resources with restrictions on use of the land. These parks generally have grills, shelter houses or picnic areas and allow fishing. The idea is to permit minimum human impact on the natural area while continuing to offer the public other ways of enjoying the parks.

 
          Parks

Other Information
 

TWIN ARCH RESERVE

This park is located on County Road 25A between Piqua and Troy.

A highlight of the park is the renovated historic Miami Erie Canal Arch. The arch was originally built in 1837 and is one of only two structures of this type in Ohio.

Other improvements to the acreage include a new parking area and modification to the existing traffic light, which allows easy and safer entrance and exiting to the facility.

The park includes a five acre pond,  with fishing access. The fishing is catch and release and a state fishing license is not required if fishing in the pond. If you choose to fish in the river, a license is required.

Features:

  • 34.8 acres

  • Handicap accessible Port-o-john

  • picnic area

  • 5 acre pond

Location:

The Reserve is located at 3147 N. Co. Rd. 25A directly across from Upper Valley Medical Center, north of Troy.

History of Twin Arch Stone Culvert

 The segment of the Miami-Erie Canal, which includes the twin arch stone culvert, began construction in the early 1830's to complete the link between the Ohio River and Lake Erie. This canal, one of the oldest artificial avenues of transportation, provided the needed access for the movement of goods throughout the state and the nation, and encouraged the development of many of today's significant communities in western Ohio. Much of the development occurred along the length of the canal between Cincinnati and Toledo.

 The twin arch stone culvert was constructed in 1837 as part of the "extension" of the original M & E. canal which ran from Dayton to Cincinnati. The principal engineer for the extension was Samuel Forrer, a Dayton resident who was very significant in Ohio canal history. Beginning in 1818, Forrer was employed for fifty years as a canal rodman, surveyor, engineer, contractor and finally, a Commissioner. The resident engineer for the extension was David Bates, who had previously been a principal engineer on the Erie Canal in New York. One of the junior assistant engineers on this section of the extension (between Dayton and Piqua) was David H. Morrison, who later started the Dayton based Columbia Bridge Works which manufactured and erected metal truss bridges throughout the Midwest.

The original contract for the construction of the culvert was given to Loring R. Brownell and Norman Sumner, both from neighboring Darke County. They were to have completed the work by June of 1836, but continuing outbreaks of Cholera and a very wet spring delayed construction. Apparently, these men defaulted on their contract, for a John Kleine was paid for the completion of this section of the canal in April of 1837. Kleine utilized German immigrants as laborers for the project.

The culvert was constructed of limestone, with 2 spans of approximately 15 foot sides, with about 2 inches between the spans. The length of the arch barrels is approximately 96 feet. The arch barrels are made of roughly cut limestone, laid with lime mortar in 6-inch courses. The headwalls curve out slightly at the ends and are made with 18 inch think limestone, laid up dry. This masonry was constructed upon wood timbers. These timbers were then laid across wood piling foundations.

It is one of two twin arches remaining on the M & E. canal. The second arch is located near the small town of Texas in Henry County, Ohio, southwest of Toledo.

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