Places - Near Sub-Categories

Crooked Lake

9 galleries with 135 photos.

Updated: Aug 10, 2009 7:53pm PST

Ann Arbor area parks

1 gallery with 19 photos.

Updated: Nov 14, 2009 7:40am PST

NW Ohio - miscellaneous parks

3 galleries with 10 photos.

Updated: Jun 27, 2009 7:56pm PST

Places - Near Galleries

Grand Rapids, Ohio, incl. Gilead Canal : Pictures of the town of Grand Rapids, Ohio, and the stretch of the south bank of the Maumee River that the town fronts.  This includes Mary Jane Thurston SP at the west end of the town, located at the Grand Rapids Dam, and the Gilead Canal, a side cut canal that bypasses the dam and the section of rapids below the dam.

On the opposite side of the river are Providence Dam, Providence Park and the Miami & Erie Canal, and the Isaac Ludwig Mill.

Grand Rapids, Ohio, incl. Gilead Canal

Pictures of the town of Grand Rapids, Ohio, and the stretch of the sou ...

Updated: Dec 05, 2008 8:14am PST

Southeast Michigan towns : Pictures that illustrate small town life in southeast Michigan.  Towns included so far are Chelsea and Dexter.

Southeast Michigan towns

Pictures that illustrate small town life in southeast Michigan. Towns ...

Updated: Sep 27, 2008 10:53pm PST

Southeast Michigan miscellany : Mostly pictures of the countryside and of nature areas when I have too few pictures of a particular place to warrant a separate gallery.

Southeast Michigan miscellany

Mostly pictures of the countryside and of nature areas when I have too ...

Updated: Jul 03, 2009 1:54pm PST

Providence Park incl. Miami & Erie Canal : Providence Park lies on the north bank of the Maumee River at the head of a long stretch of rapids, just below Providence and Grand Rapids Dams, and across the river from the town of Grand Rapids.  A stretch of the old Miami and Erie (or Miami Wabash & Erie) Canal runs through the park.  At Lock 44 of the canal you will find the historic Isaac Ludwig Mill, begun in 1847, but not made operational until approx. 1866.  This mill still operates for demonstration purposes as a gristmill, and for utility purposes for the Toledo Metroparks System as a sawmill.  

Just upriver from Grand Rapids is Mary Jane Thurston State Park.  Its day use and picnic area is located at the Grand Rapids Dam and the western end of the Gilead Canal.  Beyond this area (up river) is a public marina and boat launch facility.

Several hiking trails run through the parks, along the canal towpaths and the river banks.  One can hike all the way from Providence Park down river to Waterville and Farnswowrth Park if so inclined.

Providence Park incl. Miami & Erie Canal

Providence Park lies on the north bank of the Maumee River at the head ...

Updated: Jul 03, 2009 1:48pm PST

Isaac Ludwig Mill - NW Ohio : Photos of the part of Providence Metropark that includes the Ludwig Mill and its neighboring buildings, plus the adjacent canal lock, Lock 44.

Providence Park lies on the north bank of the Maumee River at the head of a long stretch of rapids, just below Providence and Grand Rapids Dams, and across the river from the town of Grand Rapids.  A stretch of the old Miami and Erie (or Miami Wabash & Erie) Canal runs through the park.  At Lock 44 of the canal you will find the historic Isaac Ludwig Mill, begun in 1847, but not made operational until approx. 1866.  This mill still operates for demonstration purposes as a gristmill, and for utility purposes for the Toledo Metroparks System as a sawmill.

The mill contains an excellent collection of antique milling and electrical generating equipment.  While in commercial operation, the grist mill was converted to the roller mill style of milling during the milling technology revolution of the late 19th century.  A major fire in 1940 destroyed all of the old milling equipment.  However, upon restoration of the mill for the parks system, the flour milling operation reverted to the older buhrstone milling technology, using equipment obtained from other old mills around the country.  

For a couple of good websites that provide additional history of the mill and its owners, and its restoration and current state, see

1)  http://www.metroparkstoledo.com/metroparks/providence/display.asp?id=223&subj=providence ; and 2)  http://fpw.isoc.net/KREK/Lucas_Ludwig_Mill_Page.htm

All the pictures were taken in ambient light, which in the case of the interior of the mill was a combination of incandescent light and daylight.  Little or no color correction has been made.  Exposure and contrast adjustments were made to bring out some of the interior details, but the intent was always to preserve a sense of the rather dim interior illumination present in all of the areas of the mill.

Isaac Ludwig Mill - NW Ohio

Photos of the part of Providence Metropark that includes the Ludwig Mi ...

Updated: Dec 05, 2008 7:39am PST