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CHAPTER XII
AIARGARETTA TOWNSHIP
Alargaretta is the nortliAvest township in the county, and is bounded
on the north by Sandusky Bay, on the east by Sandusky City, Perkins
and Oxford townships, on the south by Groton, and on the Avest by
Sandusky County and the bay. It is range 24, township 6.
The physical features of this township are rather monotonous, as
are those of all prairie regions, but this monotony is varied here by
streams and springs and two caves. The western half is rolling and
thinly timbered, with a combination of clay, limestone and sandy soil.
The northeast portion was at one time heavily timbered, and had a rich
muck soil with clay sub-soil that made it very productive. The second
section was heavily timbered, except in the south, which AA'as oak "openings,"
Avith a gradual descent to the north. The third section is mostly
prairie, and used to be called a marsh, until a channel was made for
Cold Creek, and by building a railroad, which has drained it and made
good farming land of it. The timber on the timber lands was mostly
oak of different kinds, with a sprinkling of elm and ash, butternut, chestnut
and maple. The soil is generally fertile and very productive, but
occasional ridges of limestone cropping out make it in some places difficult
of cultivation. The soil varies with different localities, sometimes
sandy with a preponderance of clay. There is a well-nigh inexhaustible
supply of stone suitable for building or paving purposes.
In the early days of Ohio wild animals abounded here, and wonderful
stories are told of hunting and trapping on the very spot where
handsome residences now stand. Wild turkeys were especially plentiful,
and were caught by the Indians in a fashion peculiarly their own,
Avhich was aftenvard adopted by the settlers. This was done by driving
them into pens. The more sportsmanlike preferred to shoot them
with a rifle. Wolves had their headquarters at Cold Creek, and Avere
numerous. Deer abounded and were hunted by the pioneers, who considered
this their principal diversion. Today there are no wild animals
to be found except squirrels and rabbits.
A narrow slip of land belonging to this township runs along Sandusky
Bay which is marshy and Avet on the Avestern portion and dry
or timbered on the east. When the lake is high it is overflowed Avith
Avater on the marshy side and at other times produces a coarse kind of
grass.
Cold Creek is the most important stream in the toAvnship, but
besides this there is in the southwest corner a small stream knoAvn as
Pike Creek which runs in a northeasterly course into Perkins Township
and empties into Sandusky Bay. This drains a large area, and in
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