The Ohio and Erie Canal played a critical part in the development of the Cuyahoga Valley. The workers toiled long hours for 30 cents a day and whiskey at night.
Most of the employees of the Peninsula boat yards were locals; like the builders of the Canal, most of the laborers remain anonymous. Some not only built canal boats, but also they also erected buildings and bridges. Many of the boatyard workers also worked on the boats, making them “canalers.”
Canal boats were 79-81 feet long, and about 14 feet wide. Their width was limited by the size of the locks through which they traveled. New vessels needed about 3 1/2 feet of water in which to float; older vessels required a bit more depth since they accumulated “seepage water.” Once the stomping grounds of canal mules, the towpath is now used as a trail, of which over 70 miles is complete. I’ll explore the trail in a future post.
The cool thing is that many of the buildings still stand, and vestiges of the canal are still visible. Some of the locks are still there, and the Cuyahoga Valley National Park has a working lock at the Canal Visitor Center. In other places, old foundations are visible. The stories of the people who carved this Village are alive and well. It is the people who give us a sense of place, a place that is home. The Village of Peninsula, population 602, celebrates its history as it embraces its future. An interesting place to be.
As always feel free to leave me a comment, or a stone (o), to let me know you’ve been by. If you choose to leave a comment, I’ll enter your name in a drawing for a beautiful book about the Cuyahoga Valley.
We live and work in an incredibly beautiful place. This valley called Cuyahoga is amazingly diverse—a symphony of the senses. I have walked many of the trails in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The Tree Farm Trail is one of my favorite places, and I wrote about it here.  I am always in awe when I complete the trail and come upon Horseshoe Pond.
I worked on a piece that’s my interpretation of this place. Here is a photo of the piece in process:
And here is the finished piece:
These are some of the things that keep me grounded: connections to the beauty of the natural world, and the ability to manifest my connections in clay.
By fromskilledhands (
August 23, 2010 at 11:20 am)
· Filed under My Town Monday
As far as I am concerned, Summer is still in full swing. The autumnal equinox will occur on September 23, 2010, at 3:09 A.M. Tomatoes are blushing, beans are growing and kale is everywhere! The sounds of the cicadas remind me it’s August, and lightening bugs glow in the evening sky. Nature’s seasons are much more honest that those constructed by humans, I think.
Here’s a look at life in my Valley, along the river called Cuyahoga.
As always, feel free to leave me a comment, or a stone (o), to let me know that you’ve stopped by. Hike on over to My Town Monday, to see what my fellow MTM Marauders have to say.
A while back, my blogging buddy, Amy Rea, blogged about the Twin Cities’ Peace Coffee. Somehow we started talking about good locally roasted coffees, and Peace Coffee reminded me about Canton, Ohio’s Hippie Coffee Company.
One of us proposed a trade, and so, the Great Peaceful Coffee Adventure began. Amy sent me Peace Coffee and I sent her Hippie Coffee. I’ve always liked Hippie Coffee, so I was delighted to share it with Amy.  We continued the trade, and the second time we traded, I sent Amy a mug, and she included a pair of Peace Coffee Socks.
This trade introduced me to another wonderful coffee, and was a reminder that other towns have great local products. When you buy locally, you not only help sustain that merchant’s growth, you support his or her suppliers and the folks whose businesses provide adjunct services, so you truly strengthen your local economy.
Check out local products in your community. Tell others about them—trade with your cyber-buddies.  You’ll have fun and will have the opportunity to discover new things.
What are your favorite local products? Feel free to post a comment, or leave a stone (o), to let me know you’ve stopped by.
Wander on over to My Town Monday and see what my fellow MTM Marauders have to say.
****
Lots going on for me and my family right now; although I’m not writing posts or posting comments very often, I’m still here, and I’m still reading.  Stay tuned. I hope to be back more regularly when the dust settles for us.
As always feel free to leave me a comment, or a stone (o), to let me know you’ve been by. If you choose to leave a comment, I’ll enter your name in a drawing for a beautiful book about the Cuyahoga Valley.![[Bloglines]](http://fromskilledhands.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/bloglines.png)
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A while back, my blogging buddy, 
other towns have great local products. When you buy locally, you not only help sustain that merchant’s growth, you support his or her suppliers and the folks whose businesses provide adjunct services, so you truly strengthen your local economy. 