Good Evening Good Folks,
For a few years, I have contemplated writing a regular series of articles about the heritage and ethno-history of the Black Swamp area of Northwest Ohio. There is no better time than a new year to begin such a project.
The history of the Black Swamp can be traced, as far as we know, only a short distance in time. Until the War of 1812 it was only a wilderness area populated by migratory beings hunting and
trapping.
True, there were Euro-explorers, trappers, missionaries and military figures from the 1600s, but that is still a very short distance back in history. Still from that time till present Northwest Ohio has played a continuous part in our nation's history.
Late in the 18th century the first Euro-pioneers tried settling in what is today northwest Ohio
and south eastern Michigan. Prior to Mad Anthony Wayne's campaign, scant little is known
about the Maumee Country. There was but one white settlement in 1788 in Ohio. Thirty years
later there were only a few people along the banks of the Maumee River.
This area was wilderness of swamp and forest. The only evidence of habitation were temporary
camps
of the nomadic natives. There were many groups speaking many dialects, but none claimed more
than a "migratory residence" in the Maumee Country.
The present Wood County lies along the south bank of the Maumee River, though in the
beginning it encompassed both banks.
The Maumee Country from the 1680s to 1713 was in the province of Quebec. Then until 1764 it
was part of Louisiana. For an additional 5 years it was back in the province of Quebec, but under
the British Parliament. From 1769 until 1778 it came under the authority of the Virginia
Legislature. When the Northwest Territory was estabished in 1778, Wood County was wild
country indeed, used as a hunting ground for Native Americans.
The River was first called Miami-du-Lac [Miami of the Lake] by the French. When Generals
Wayne and Harrison came through they heard the sound "Omee" or "Maumee". Maumee is the
name that has survived since, even under the effort to change it to the "Grand Rapids" River.
