euclid creek east branch hike

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 / [email protected]

Mid Summer’s Night Social

Portage Escarpment nature and history

Photo: J. Danforth

for the

Bluestone Heights


Roy Larick and Claire Posius

Join us at Greenwood Farm


Presentations by


Friends of Euclid CreekGreenwood Farm AssociationHighland Hts Green Task Force






Bluestone Heights


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.





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.


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


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


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



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.


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



Bluestone Knick Points

Redstone Run

Highland Reserve

Greenwood Farm

Chardon Rd

Ric

hm

on

d R

d



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


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


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


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


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.


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



for the

Photo: J. Danforth

Wednesday, August 6, 6:30 pm264 Richmond Rd, Richmond Heights


Walk back in time Look toward the Future






euclid creek east branch hike

Documents

euclid bluestone waterfall

euclid moraine

euclid creek westward

lawrence euclid bluestone

bluestone heights tours

hard bluestone

east branch gorge

greenwood farm hike