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CHAPTER VIII
HURON TOAVNSHIP
The Township of Huron is irregular in form on account of its bordering
on Lake Erie. The greatest length is from east to Avest, and the
greatest width is at Hie western side Avhere it extends from Alilan
ToAvnship on the south across part of Sandusky Bay and the base of
Cedar Point to Lake Erie, Avhose turbulent and shallow waters wash
its whole northern side, and at various points on the shores have dug
away many acres of once valuable farming land. The Huron River,
which enters the township from Alilan and AOAVS diagonally across the
eastern portion, emptying into the lake at the eastern side of the TOAVII of
Huron, is a deep stream, with rather abrupt, though not high banks.
The bed of the river is of solid clay, and an old resident used to tell
of having frequently seen steamers in turning around purposely run
their boAvs against the side of the river bed in hopes of getting aground
sufficiently to turn the boat by reversing the paddle wheels, but the
abruptness and slippery nature of the river bed AA'ould invariably slide
the boat back into the channel.
The river is navigable for quite large vessels for several miles, and
for small boats for a much greater distance. Its mouth forms one of the
best harbors on the south shore of Lake Erie, which made Huron an
important point and caused it to be, probably, the first town settled in
the Firelands. Early travelers coming up the lake in small boats found
the Huron Rh'er an easy means of penetrating into the back country,
and in the earlier times, explorers may have portaged across to the tributaries
of the Ohio and found their way to the Mississippi.
This township is not favored with the rich river bottom lands to as
great an extent as Milan, although in some places there are considerable
areas of these lands. A great portion of the valley near the village is
occupied by low marshes, into which the water is blown daily Avith the
regularity almost of tides, by the lake breeze. There are about 1,500
acres of marsh land Avithin the boundaries of the township, all of
which is irreclaimable, from the fact that the land is all loAver than the
surface of the lake and consequently affected by the rise and fall of its
waters.
The land east of Huron river, at the time of the first settlement, was
covered with a dense forest, about half being second growth and the
rest heavy timber. Much of it was white oak, used for ship timber.
About two miles west of Huron River is Sawmill Creek, a stream of
considerable magnitude, the outlet of prairie drainage. AVhen the Avaters
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