Our own Megan Butler filled up a bottle of water from the St. Marys River today to see how clear it really is. We will be spending the summer educating you on how our rivers are natural, where they get their appearance from, and how you can enjoy them! Our new website will debut soon with resources for you to enjoy.
It's #waybackwednesday! Take a look at this aerial view of the St. Mary's River and downtown Fort Wayne in 1924. This image comes from the Bert J. Griswold Collection in our Community Album. [showing what is now Headwaters Park at the confluence of the Three Rivers]
According to the United States Board on Geographic Names, it is correct to write St. Marys River, and incorrect to write St. Mary’s River. In all communications, Riverfront Fort Wayne will use St. Marys River, and will advocate for the elimination of St. Mary’s River in all other signage and communication. Copied from What happened to the apostrophe in the St. Marys River? posted 03/13/2017 on Riverfront Fort Wayne blog.
FUN FACT: Did you know that in 1910, the St. Marys River was officially named by the United States Geographic Board?
According to the Geographic Names Information System of the USGS (https://on.doi.gov/2qocPZz), while it was recognized that a variant name was "St. Mary's," the official name does not include the apostrophe.
Many people think rivers flow from north to south, but Fort Wayne’s rivers are great examples of rivers that don’t flow in the direction you think they might.
Fort Wayne sits on what is known as the St. Lawrence continental divide that separates the Great Lakes Basin from the Gulf of Mexico watershed. 🌊
Although the land around Fort Wayne is flat, the city is on a small ridge that resulted from receding glaciers that covered the area in the Ice Age. 🧊
The St. Joseph River begins in Hillsdale County, Michigan. It flows southeast into Ohio where it turns and flows southwest to Fort Wayne. 💦
The St. Marys River begins near Celina, Ohio. It flows northwest into Fort Wayne where it meets the St. Joseph River near Headwaters Park. 🦦
The two rivers combine to form the Maumee River. It flows in a northeasterly direction and ends at Toledo where it dumps into Lake Erie. 🌊
? What happened to the apostrophe in the St. Marys River?
According to the U.S. Board of Geographic Names, it is correct to write St. Marys River and incorrect to write St. Mary’s River. This is because the river is named St. Marys and isn’t a river that belongs to St. Mary. 🦦 💦
Navigability status of the St. Marys River a complicated issue published September 15, 2017 by The Journal Gazette newspaper.
St Marys and Maumee at Indiana Department of Natural Resources. The St. Marys River and Maumee River Watershed is located in northeastern Indiana, draining approximately 376 square miles in Adams and Allen counties. Major streams included in the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) report are St. Marys River, Maumee River, Habegger Ditch, Gates Ditch, Blue Creek, Yellow Creek, Martz Ditch, Borum Run, Holthouse Ditch, Kohne Ditch, Gerke Ditch, and Nickelsen Creek, Trier Ditch, Bullerman Ditch, Gar Creek, Botern Ditch, Black Creek, Ham Interceptor Ditch and other tributaries.
It's #waybackwednesday! Take a look at this moonlight view of the St. Mary's River in Fort Wayne. This image is courtesy of the Harter Postcard Collection in our Community Album.
“This will allow aquatic life to migrate downstream instead of staying in one area, it will improve the ecological balance of the river and it will also protect the banks,” Suarez said.
The Lawton Park Spy Run Creek Dam is near the physical start of Spy Run Creek– however, the dam has long outlived its intended purpose. “The dam was put in when what is now Science Central was the electric plant,” Suarez said. “Nearly 100 years ago it was used to cool the turbines that were used to create electricity, and they wanted to have water backups so they would have a pool of water to cool those.” Copied from Fort Wayne dam may be demolished; city cites ecological factors
