[MPratt]

Good Lord, if you could get me a copy of the map showing the lay out of the park words could not describe how thankful I would be.

I contacted a very nice gentlemen from the Henry County historical Society over the winter and he sent me a a write up with pictures that someone sent to the historical society. Your husband must be related to the Voights I am guessing.

This past Saturday, I spent four hours walking the entire island. Leaving the island was bitter-sweet for me. I discovered a lot and a lot of pieces of the puzzle are still missing. The saddest part was knowing this park (and the island itself) truly is a historical sight on the Maumee River and so little of it remains because of the Maumee River. I only hope that my postings will help keep this history alive.

The write-up I received placed structures as it related to the ferry landing. My husband was the one that found the ferry landing. One very large timber remains and a short piece of cable anchored in the ground. A tree still stands that shows the marks where the cable once wrapped around it.

Just to the west of the landing, I found what remains of what I believe to be the ice house. Going north from the ferry landing, I found an old arch which I believe may be the entrance to the park, leading to the house. I have not found any remains of the house as of yet. I believe in later years, this area may have been farmed and the foundation covered. If you can find out if the park entrance did have an arch, then I will know the area behind it is where the house once stood. The pictures of the house that I have may have been taken while standing under this arch. Without the house location, I am missing the location of the refreshment stand that stood next to the house. The area behind the arch has trees, but they are young enough to tell me they weren't there a 100 years ago. To the northwest of the arch, I ran across the strange foundation I found last fall. With the information I received this winter, I believe this to be the stables where visitors stabled their horses while on the island. Next to this structure, I uncovered a coil of cable which I am sure was used for the ferry. North of the stable, I found a very small foundation, which I haven't a clue what it is. I was hoping this was one of the three cottages, but no way to know for sure. Along with the cottages, there was the dance hall, bowling alley, race track and I am totally lost as to where any of these once stood. The write-up states that one cottage still stands because it was make of stone, but I did not see it and I was all over the island.

I did make it to the beach area where the bath houses once stood, but being at the head of the island I am sure the Mighty Maumee took those remains a long time ago. I did find an entire skeleton of what I believe to be a very, very large hog/sow that was once buried about 5 feet down and with the flooding this spring was unearthed. This has both me and my husband stumped. The park would may have served roasted pig, not buried it. Do you have any ideas?

I do have some very good pictures of everything I discovered that I would be happy to pass along to you. Your husband's family may want to have these as it is part of their family history.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

And to my other fellow explorers who have helped me with this historical search, yes, I am still going strong and loving it. As for the ghost of Mr. Simon Girty, he must be resting in peace in the great beyond since I did not see him. For this, I am glad.

Hi - The history that I have of the Fred Voigt family has a chapter on Simon Girty and a chapter on Girty's Island. It is many pages long, too many to scan and try to email. So if you want to email me your address, I will mail you a copy. You can email me at: [email protected].
Glad you're interested,
MPratt

[MPratt]

Hi - The history that I have of the Fred Voigt family has a chapter on Simon Girty and a chapter on Girty's Island. It is many pages long, too many to scan and try to email. So if you want to email me your address, I will mail you a copy. You can email me at: [email protected].
Glad you're interested,
MPratt

Looking at the map that Grandma drew, you are right there is an ice house at the landing. Then directly north was a ball field, with a hitching rail to the west of it. Directly north of the ball field was the grandstand, to its west was the barn, and further west stood the stone home. Diretly to the west of the home was the food stand, and an ice cream stand. To their north was the shooting gallery, beer garden aned bowling alley. Going along the drive from the landing to the northwest, was a pavilion that stood near a fruit orchard. The bathing beach was to the west. Grandfather Voigt had started to build a cottage (the second), in 1912, but the flood of 1913 took everything but the original stone home. They continued to use the island for family vacations, building a dance hall, but sold to the State of Ohio Game Reserve when my husband's mother was a girl, around 65 years ago. A brief summary! It really is a sweet history, you will enjoy reading it in its entirety.

[EARLY]

GIRTY’S ISLAND -- by EARLY --- May, 2008

In the Maumee river, about five miles upstream from Napoleon, Ohio, there is Girty’s Island, At the turn of the 19th/20th century, there was a recreation area on the island and, in addition to a few cottages, there was a dance hall a bowling alley and a park area for picnics. The bowling alley was not in today’s configuration - the ball was about six or seven inches in diameter, had two holes, and was made of wood. The alley ran alongside the east side of dance floor, separated from it by a wall. The island was used primarily by people from Napoleon who came on a small steam boat that made regular trips during the weekend.

There was also a large two-storey house at the highest point of the island, a bit west of the island center and approximately 100 yards east of the dance hall. There were, perhaps, a half dozen cottages along the south shore.

Some time during the mid-1930s, my uncle and aunt, Lewis and Vanda Yorges lived in the big house on the island, getting to and from the island by use of a ferry on the north bank. My uncle remade the ferry, putting a steel cable from the north shore to the island. The cable ran through two pulley wheels on the ferry side rail and the occupants pulled the ferry across by pulling on the cable, no easy job pulling a 12/15 foot by 5/6 foot, flat bow and stern boat.

In the 1930s, money was scarce; one occupation of my aunt was collecting clams and checking them for “pearls” for which she might get 25 to 50 cents a week.

In addition to spending a day or two at a time, I spent a few days one year, 1936? with them on the island, helping my aunt put new wall paper in the living room. Each layer of old paper had a high-water mark, the highest about seven to eight feet above the floor. The house was on the highest point of land and sat on large concrete blocks about two feet high. We surmised that the highest, high-water mark was put there during the 1913 flood, about 20 feet above normal water level. (My guess).

The island had a cultivated field -50 acres? - farmed by Ben Gunn who lived on the north bank of the Maumee, about a half mile east of the ferry. The Gunn family had original papers to the farm from the State of Ohio and were among the very earliest settlers in Henry County. The island ferry was large enough to transport Ben’s horses and equipment.

I don’t know who owned the island at that time. My uncle and aunt lived there for a few years and then built a small house on the tow-path - the canal ran between the road and the tow-path - close to the ferry dock.

The canal was still full of water then, but sometime later in the 1930s, someone, unknown, blew a large hole in the tow-path about three or four miles upstream and the canal water was no more.

I am not an expert on the Girtys or Girty’s Island, but from what I have read, I have the impression that the Girty’s did not live on the island, James Girty had a trading post on the north bank and the Island’s name came from that post. Certainly, George and Simon could have visited but Simon was primarily occupied in the southern part of Ohio, near Pittsburgh, or in the Detroit area, not (now) northwestern Ohio.

[Stratmando]

Welcome, GREAT first post and Info, You have to be over 70, and have great recollection,
It would be interesting if you could draw a map of the island, the ferry crossing and any nearby buildings, Most of my research is outwest. Lot of great memories or history is lost if not written down. Thanks and Take care.

[RiverRat1]

Thank you very much for the additional information. My research has told me there was a bowling alley on the island and that has always puzzled me because I was thinking in today's terms. You have solved that mystery for me.

You are right about the high water mark on the wall paper. The water reached all the way to the second story of the house, that is why the Voight family called it quits. Each year the river took out a building or two and it was hard to always rebuild.

I last wrote that I thought I found the stables, this is wrong. I went back to the island over Memorial Day weekend and I found the old brick well. This was a very big discovery for me. The blocks you speak of (that I thought were the stables) is actually the remains of the house. Finally finding that well confirmed the house's location. Which also means the concert ring with a dirt hole in the middle right in front of the blocks, was the newer well the Voight family drilled right in front of the house. I know this to be true because I can see the new well in the old picture I have (took the pictures with me in a zip-lock bag). And I will admit it, I cried. Three years of researching this island and to finally know for sure what I found was over whelming. To stand where so many have stood before, wow!

Knowing that the food stand sat just west of the house, I found a row of cinder blocks that made up the foundation of the food stand. Thanks to you, I now know the location of the bowling alley. Do you know if this was made of any concrete/stone materials? Did the wall have a block wall bottom? If it was all wood, there would be nothing left by now.

I found the original ferry landing on the south side of the island, cable included (from the amusement times). It sounds like your Uncle made a ferry landing on the north side. The side of the tow path. Is this correct? Did your Aunt and Uncle raise hogs? I found a very large skeleton the was once buried about five feet down that the river unveiled this spring? This really has me puzzled. In those days, farm animals were a very precious food item, why bury the animal or the bones. Funny, for every answer I get, I come from the island with another question. But this is OK because I keep getting great information from wonderful people like yourself and it continues my search.

You are right about Simon Girty. I read Simon would go there, but it was his brother James that had the trading post and Simon passed away during his elderly years while living in Canada.

[EARLY]

Sorry that I can't provide answers, but after 72 years or so -----?? I don't recall the construction of the bowling alley - I believe that the wall separating it from the dance floor was a low one. My uncle's ferry was on the north side, directly opposite the small farm house on rte. 424, the first one west of the Gunn place. The big house was straight up the hill from the ferry. My uncle worked in Napoleon and aside from a pet dog, they had no animals. I do remember that one day I rowed completely around the island, feeling quite proud that I did it.
Oh yes, they had a trot line out across the north run of the river to catch fish - and did catch fish too.

[EARLY]

From EARLY -- Just thought of something else. Seems to me that I remember that Girty's Island is really two islands - one a small one, maybe 50 acres, at the downstream end. The small one was known as Chicken Island. And in the question, Florida, Ohio, was mentioned; When Genl. "Mad " Anthony Wayne led his troops to the Battle of Fallen Timbers in 1794, they left from Fort Defiance and marched along the river, heading for what is now an area adjoining Maumee, Ohio, memorialized as "Fallen Timbers". The first night's march found them at the Indian village of Snake Town - now Florida, Ohio. The canal was still 40 / 50 years in the future but Florida became a village because of the canal. I don't know what happened to the Indian village, but the defeat of the Indian tribes at Fallen Timbers was a major happening in the struggle for control of the Northwest Territory. The Indians gave up shortly thereafter. My great-grandfather worked with his team of horses in building the canal, filling in time when his farm didn't need him - but that was 45 - 50 years after Fallen Timbers and has nothing to do with Girty's Island.

One other thing that occurs to me is that James Girty's major trading post was at St. Mary's, Ohio, so I believe the post on the Maumee was a stopover point on the way to Lake Erie, probably one of several.

I think it is great that Girty's Island is the object of your study - I have always had a soft spot in my heart for it. EARLY

[EARLY]

One more - this one a suggestion --- try:

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/map-machine#theme=Street&c=0|0&sf=187648892.534865

By working your"clicks" properly, you can get a satellite picture of Girty's Island. Not much to see but it gives a good idea of the size and shape.

[EARLY]

Just one more -- checking the satellite picture, I see Chicken Island at the northeast section of Girty's and it is smaller than the 50 acres I said it might be. Looks more like one or two but it is there. EARLY

[RiverRat1]

Thank you again! I know exactly what small island you are talking about (Chicken Island). I was wondering about that small piece of land and if it was once a part of Girty's Island that water have separated it off. Do you know if there was anything built on that island? Was it used for anything?

You are right about thinking the islands were much bigger, because at one time they were. My research has stated that 1/3 of Girty's Island has been washed away by the River and God only know when that number was figured. As I see the smaller little islands become completely gone each year on the way to Girty's, it stands to reason that much more of Girty's is now washed away. It is one reason that I have kelp going on with this research. Girty's Island won't disappear during my lifetime or my children's lifetime, but it may not be there for my grandchildren's lifetime. Hopefully, these writings will be passed down so others in the future will know there once was a wonderful place where people met to have fun and families gathered together. You are helping to make that happen with all the wonderful information you are passing on :)

I think it is so great that your great Grandfather actually worked on the canal! I think anyone who is interested in history, should read about the Erie-Miami Canal. What a great success it was during that era and so much hard work went into it.

Have you ever stopped by that little store by Lugwig Mill? You park on the east side of the Grand Rapids bridge and walk across the road, down the path and it is right there. Because of Girty's Island, I have also researched the canal and the town of Providence built by Peter Manor, which is now Providence Park. The store has these great little books about the history of that entire area. I have the book on the canal, Providence, & Grand Rapids which was once known as Gilead. With your added information, I will now look into Snake Town and see if there is written history on it.

As you remember things, please keep posting it. Since I opened this question in January of this year, over one thousand people have viewed it! And so many have answered and posted their own memories of the Island. Remember, this island passed through many hands throughout the last 100 years and each writing is precious history being preserved.

Hoping to hear form you again!

RiverRat1

[EARLY]

T o RiverRat1 from EARLY -- a few more memories of Henry County. At Independence Dam at Independence, Ohio, (Defiance County but on the Miami-Erie Canal) there was, during the 1930s, a time of severe financial depression, a family living on a Canal boat at the bridge across the tow path. For how long, I don’t know but possibly for a few years. To the best of my knowledge, this was the last canal boat on the canal. (A reconstructed boat is at St. Mary’s, Ohio.)
From oral history, my ancestors, during the construction of the canal, a severe disease of some sort hit the construction crew while they were working near Florida. After a few days, someone hitched a horse to a buggy and went pell mell to Toledo, got a doctor and brought him to the work site. The story goes that he did a good job and stopped the spread of the disease. Florida to Toledo -- 45 - 50 miles one way, on trails in a buggy with a horse - poor horse. As I said - oral history - take it for what it is worth.

[RiverRat1]

Actually your oral history may be more right then you think. I bet the disease you speak of is cholera and/or malaria. From the book "Shades of Providence", many, many workers lost their lives due to these diseases. Poor hygiene, poor nutrition, and mosquitos plagued the workers. People traveling through also brought the diseases. It was this disease that either killed people or forced them to get as far away as possible.

I would highly recommend you buy the book "Shades of Providence", located in the store at Ludwig Mill. It is a quick read just loaded with great information. Along with covering the history of the town of Providence, it has many facts a about the building of the canal and the problems the workers fought.

I know from my research, that the majority of the workers came from Irish descent. Is your ancestry Irish or was your ancestors local settlers? Either way, they had a tough go a it. Did you know, that at the very beginning of the canal building in that area, workers went for up to four months before receiving any pay? Imagine how hard that had to be.

When your family bought Girty's Island, why didn't they continue with the family park? Is it because of the financial depression you speak of? Or where they more interested in farming then running a business? Was there anything left other then the house?

Looking forward to your reply! :)

[EARLY]

TO RIVERRAT1 --
1. My aunt and uncle only rented the big house on Girty's Island for a few years. As I noted before, they later built a small house on the towpath.
2. In 1936, the house, dance hall/bowling alley were still intact as were the cottages on the south bank. These are the only buildings I recall. As far as I know, they had all been empty for years. My memory doesn't assure this, but I believe the dance hall and bowling alley were one with the bowling alley running north and south along the east side of the dance hall, separated by a low wall. Don't "bet the farm" on that.
3. I knew some of the history of the M/E canal - our local library has good references I don't know anything about my great grandfather's pay or working conditions but I have had the impression that if he were free of farm chores/duties and felt like doing it, he would drive his team two miles to the canal and dig dirt. This was in the Florida area.
4. My ggfather was from Alsace Lorraine - his wife from Germany; My grandmother was from various Quaker ancestors who moved from England to Wales to Ireland as they tried to avoid persecution, finally buying land from Wm. Penn in Pennsylvania. They all came to the Henry County area in the early 1840s (?), being initial owners of their farm. ( Bought it from the state of Ohio) EARLY

[EARLY]

RIVERRAT -- In reading History of Western Ohio and Auglaize County recently, I read a section about James Girty. (It was taken from Butterfield's History of the Girtys, page 318.) In summary, he lived in the northwest Ohio area in the 1780s, having a monopoly on Indian trade at St. Mary's for seven years. It was known as Girty Town. Furs were taken by the St. Mary's river to the Maumee, down the Maumee to the Rapids and from that place across Lake Erie to Detroit. He “returned with stores to be disposed of to the Indians at a large profit“. (He was married to a Shawnee woman named Betsy). “He had timely warning of the approach of the American army under Genl. Harmar and moved his goods first to the head waters of the Maumee and immediately after down the river to the Grand Glaize”. He left the Maumee for Canada when Genl. Wayne approached in 1794, and was there until after the Greenville treaty was signed in 1795. He then returned to the Maumee and resumed his Indian trading. Take your pick of stories about the Girty's. About all I am sure of is that the Island was named for James, not George or Simon. The Maumee at the island could be called the Grand Glaize but so could much of the Maumee much of the time. There it is for what it is worth ---.. EARLY

[gust]

My Great Grandparents, Fred & Mary Voigt own the Island at the turn of the century.

They had a large home and a cottage for their personal use. And many activities, there was a dance hall, bowling alley,swimming, The dance hall was often used as a theater as many actors and actresses came to perform there. The Voigt family has extensive info, pics and items from that time.

Gust

[gust]

Hello,
My great grandparents own Girty's as I had stated in an earlier e-mail. We have so much info that it would be in possible to e-mail. Perhaps we could make arrangements to meet. The Voigt (there is no h in spelling Voigt) family loves to share the stories and pics & etc. My son received a bowling ball from Girty's Island last year for his b-day.
Gust

[gust]

The Voigt Family has a blue print of the Island My Dad remembers spending summer vacations with his Father, who was the son of Fred Voigt. My Dad is from a family of 9 children all are gone except my Dad and a Aunt. One of their favorite pass times is to talk about the Island. I read in one of the answers why the park closed. Partly because of the flood from 1913, the other was for the amount of work, time & money that they put into the park they were not making much profit. The Dance Hall did not attract the best of people. So the family went out of the park business and used the Island for their own personal use for many years. My grandfather went to the Island during the 1913 flood and braced many of the trees up. He had a wooden leg so this was some what difficult for him. He also ice skated around the Island with his wooden leg. The ice house went out during the flood along with several other buildings. My Great Grandmother would cooked fried chicken meals every weekend to be sold. She would go out to the chicken fence and butcher her own chickens, They also made ice cream. The whole family was very busy keeping the park going. After the park was closed one of my great aunts and her family lived out there for several summers and farmed, this was much more profitable.

I have so many stories going through my mind right now. I have been looking for a long time on the inter-net to find info about the Island. So imagine how thrilled I was to find this site!

Gust

[gust]

My husband's grandmother's parents owned this island in the early 1900's, and she did a nice history and map of the island. It had amusements and a dance hall, refreshments along with the beach and lodging, and ferrying transportation for visitors. I will try to get this typed and copied so you can view it for comparison today.

My Great Grandparents Fred and Mary Voigt own the island at the turn of the century. I am not sure who your husband is. I tried to e-mail at your e-mail address and it won't let me in.
My grandparents are Gust & Helen (mollett) Voigt, my parents are Paul and Darlene Voigt,
I am Joanie Voigt- Bowers, we live in Defiance/Ayersville area

I would love to hear from you !

[RiverRat1]

Hi Gust,


Welcome to the party! I started this posting back in Jan 2008 and I can't believe how much information I have received or how it has brought so many people together. You must be related to MPratt, this is wonderful! We have to get in touch so I can add to my research. I do have a hand drawn map of the island that MPratt sent to me. What kind of map do you have?

I don't know if you have read all the postings, but I have been making trips to the island trying to figure out what each ruin is. I have taken pictures of each finding. I tried to private message you, but I can't. Left click on my name (RiverRat1) and select "private message" so we can share private info that others can not see. I would love to get in touch with you!

[RiverRat1]

RIVERRAT -- In reading History of Western Ohio and Auglaize County recently, I read a section about James Girty. (It was taken from Butterfield’s History of the Girtys, page 318.) In summary, he lived in the northwest Ohio area in the 1780s, having a monopoly on Indian trade at St. Mary’s for seven years. It was known as Girty Town. Furs were taken by the St. Mary’s river to the Maumee, down the Maumee to the Rapids and from that place across Lake Erie to Detroit. He “returned with stores to be disposed of to the Indians at a large profit“. (He was married to a Shawnee woman named Betsy). “He had timely warning of the approach of the American army under Genl. Harmar and moved his goods first to the head waters of the Maumee and immediately after down the river to the Grand Glaize”. He left the Maumee for Canada when Genl. Wayne approached in 1794, and was there until after the Greenville treaty was signed in 1795. He then returned to the Maumee and resumed his Indian trading. Take your pick of stories about the Girty’s. About all I am sure of is that the Island was named for James, not George or Simon. The Maumee at the island could be called the Grand Glaize but so could much of the Maumee much of the time. There it is for what it is worth ---.. EARLY

Well that is some great information. I thought the island was named after Simon. What do you know about the homestead that Simon built on the south side of the river, now the Gunn farm?

Exactly where is this "Grand Glaize" part of the river? I have never heard of this before now. Do you know how it got it's name? This is very interesting to me!