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Home , Camp Perry, East Harbor, East Harbor State Park, North Bass Island

Established: March 6, 1840 County Seat: City of Port Clinton 2010 Population: 41,428* 2020 Projection: 40,100* Land Area and Rank: 255.1 square miles*, 86 of 88 Miles of : 94 miles* Number of Primary Access Sites: 14† Number of Right-of-Way Sites: 1† Miles of Publicly Accessible Coast: 6.7 miles†‡

Ottawa County

Ottawa County boasts 94 miles of combined and Sandusky shore, more than any other coastal county. Ottawa County is adjacent to Lucas, Wood, Sandusky and Erie counties. The eastern portion of the county is well-defined geographically by the Catawba Island and Marblehead peninsulas. Catawba Island Peninsula juts north into Lake Erie while Marblehead Peninsula extends east between Lake Erie and Sandusky Bay to the north and south. The Bass Island Archipelago, which includes South Bass (1,523 acres), Middle Bass (771 acres) and North Bass (677 acres) islands and several smaller islands (each less than 100 acres), is located north of Catawba Island. Ottawa County is named after the Ottawa Indians, a Native American tribe that once inhabited the area. “Ottawa” is an anglicized spelling of the word “adawe,” which means “trader” or “to trade.” On September 29, 1812, the first battle on Ohio soil was fought in Ottawa County at Crystal Rock on the south side of Marblehead Peninsula. An Ohio Historical Marker commemorating the skirmish is located at Battlefield Park in Danbury Township. In September of 1813, the was fought between American and British naval fleets. The battle took place near Rattlesnake Island, northwest of Put-in-Bay, and proved to be the pivotal War of 1812 clash. Master Commandant Oliver Hazard Perry led the Americans to victory over the Robert Heriot Barclay-commanded British fleet. The decisive victory secured the Americans’ control of the Great Lakes and the Northwest Territory during the war. During the Civil War, a prisoner-of-war camp was built on Johnson’s Island to incarcerate captured Confederate officers. The island was selected as the prison site due to its isolation in the Sandusky Bay and because it would be difficult to escape. The prison opened in April 1862. It housed prisoners until its decommissioning in September 1865. Camp Perry (named in honor of Commander Perry), located on the Lake Erie shore in Erie Township, is an Ohio National Guard training facility. It features the largest outdoor rifle range in the world. During the First World War, Camp Perry was a training center for Army officers and marksmanship instructors. The facility also housed German and Italian prisoners of war during the Second World War. Camp Perry hosts annual shooting matches and the NRA’s National Outdoor Rifle & Pistol Championships. Built in 1821, the Marblehead Lighthouse is the oldest continuously-operating lighthouse on the Great Lakes. It is located at the eastern tip of the Marblehead Peninsula in Marblehead and is one of the most visited and most photographed landmarks in Lake Erie’s Western Basin. Fifteen lighthouse keepers, two of whom were women, have tended the beacon. The first keeper was Revolutionary War-veteran Benjamin Wolcott. The U.S. Coast Guard assumed the operation and maintenance of the light in 1946. Its beacon was automated in 1958. Today, the lighthouse’s 300mm lens projects a green signal that flashes every six seconds and is visible eleven nautical miles away. Ottawa County features many popular Lake Erie-based tourist attractions, including the Lake Erie Islands, Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial and Marblehead Lighthouse. Ottawa County also offers exceptional fishing in the Western Basin, birding opportunities and many marinas.

* Includes islands † Mainland only; see also Lake Erie Islands chapter ‡ Ottawa and Magee Marsh Wildlife Area are inventoried as Ottawa County sites, although portions extend into Lucas County. Miles of publicly accessible coast for these sites are broken down by county; see Lucas County chapter

56 57 Ottawa County Public Access Sites LEI6 Stone Laboratory Peach Point Campus OT1 Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge LEI7 Oak Point State Park OT2 Magee Marsh Wildlife Area LEI8 DeRivera Park OT3 Camp Perry Beach LEI9 Put-in-Bay Village Marina OT4 Waterworks Park LEI10 Put-in-Bay Public Boat Launch OT5 Port Clinton Lakefront Preserve LEI11 Perry’s Victory and International OT6 Port Clinton City Beach Peace Memorial OT7 Catawba Island State Park LEI12 Scheeff East Point Nature Preserve OT8 East State Park LEI13 Put-in-Bay Village Beach OT9 Mazurik Access Area LEI14 State Park OT10 Marblehead Lighthouse State Park LEI15 Petersen Woods OT11 Lake Point Park LEI16 Kuehnle Wildlife Area OT12 Johnson’s Island Confederate LEI17 Middle Bass Island East Point Preserve Soldier Cemetery LEI18 Honey Point Wildlife Area OT13 Dempsey Fishing Access LEI19 North Bass Island State Park OT14 Sandusky Bay Bridge Access – North LEI20 Fox’s Marsh Wildlife Area (see Lake Erie Islands chapter) Ottawa County Right-of-Way Sites LEI1 Lighthouse (see pages 40-41) LEI2 South Bass Island State Park ROW20 NE Catawba Road (State Route 53), LEI3 Alfred Parker Park Catawba Island Township LEI4/5 West Shore Ice Ramps ROW21 East Point (State Route 357), Put-in-Bay Township

Coastal Cities Public Access Management Port Clinton State 7 Coastal Villages Local 4 Marblehead Federal 3 Put-in-Bay Coastal Townships Bay Township Carroll Township Catawba Island Township Danbury Township Erie Township Portage Township Top: Waterworks Park (OT4), Put-in-Bay Township Port Clinton

56 57

Ottawa County OT1 Jerusalem Township Long: W083°12.18’ Main Entrance: Shore Access: Ottawa NationalWildlife Refuge Benton Township at Lickert-Harder Otw County) (Ottawa Lat: N41°36.14’ Jurisdiction: (Lucas County) Waterbody: State Route2, Path toShore Site Type: Crane Creek Location: Educational 14000 West Outdoors Lake Erie Natural Road Yes

Location Map: of thecountry’s topten birdinglocations.Huntingisallowed bypermitonly. is a prime location for wildlife viewing and photography. It was listed as one well asfloraandfauna,includingendangered andthreatenedspecies.Thissite The refugeprovideshabitatformany waterfowl andothermigratorybirdsas Today, thesesites exhibitsomeofOhio’s finestremainingcoastalwetlands. Erie andoncecoveredmuchofnorthwest OhioandextendedintoIndiana. vast 900,000-acreGreatBlackSwamp, whichborderedmostofwesternLake (east) statewildlifeareas.Thesethree contiguoussiteswereoncepartofthe The refugeissituatedbetweenMetzger Marsh(northwest)andMagee the intersectionofLickert-HarderRoadinBentonTownship (OttawaCounty). public accesssiteinOhio.ThemainentranceislocatedonStateRoute2 at of managedlandinbothLucasandOttawacounties.ItisthelargestLakeErie The OttawaNationalWildlifeRefugecomplexcomprisesalmost10,000acres tours are offered throughout theyear. platforms. Indoor andoutdoor education programs and staff-guided walking The refugealsofeatures avisitorcenter, giftshopandwildlife observation 60 Amenities:

61 Ottawa County OT1 The lakefront portion of Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge is accessible from Magee Marsh Wildlife which opened Area via the Crane Creek Estuary Trail, in 2012. The estuary trail begins near the west end of openthrough loops and Trail Bird Marsh Magee the woods and along the beach. Grimm Prairie is an interior roadside site that does not provide access to Lake Erie or the visitor center. Amenities: Amenities: Amenities: Stange Prairie is an interior roadside site that does not provide access to Lake Erie or the visitor center. 61

Lat/Long: N 41° 36.62’ W 083° 14.42’ Stange Prairie Location: Stange Road, south of Krause Road Lat/Long: N 41° 36.73’ W 083° 15.40’ Grimm Prairie Location: Krause Road, east of State Route 2 Shore Access: Yes Path to Shore Lat/Long: N 41° 37.81’ W 083° 11.59’ Crane Creek Estuary Trail Access Estuary Trail Crane Creek Location: Accessible from Magee Marsh Wildlife Area Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Ottawa

OT1.3

OT1.2 OT1.1 60 Ottawa

County OT2 Long: W083°11.32’ ship (LucasCounty) Main Entrance: Long: W083°9.46’ Shore Access: including Turtle CreekAccess Magee MarshWildlife Area Benton Township Jerusalem Town- at Benton-Carroll Carroll Township Otw County) (Ottawa (Ottawa County) Lat: N41°36.25’ Lat: N41°36.72’ Jurisdiction: Turtle Creek Waterbody: State Route2, Path toShore Site Type: Turtle Creek Location: 13229 West Access: Outdoors Lake Erie Natural Terrain Road Yes

Location Map: located onSR2about 1.5milestotheeastofmainentrance. small boatandfishing access,islocatedwithinMageeMarsh WildlifeAreaand especially duringspringandfallmigration. TheTurtle CreekAccess,which offers planked and handicapped-accessible Bird Trail is a popular pathway for birders, Partnership Trail, whichconnectstoOttawaNationalWildlifeRefuge. Thewood- Wildlife BeachTrail, BirdTrail, GallagherMemorialTrail andtheOttawa-Magee observation platformandmultipletrails, includingtheMageeWalking Trail, Marsh featurestheSportsmen’s Migratory BirdCenter, theHawkwatchTower The mainentranceislocatedonState Route2inBentonTownship. Magee Creek StateParkandisadjacenttotheOttawaNationalWildlifeRefuge(west). County (JerusalemTownship). ThewildlifeareaincludestheformerCrane townships inOttawaCountyandalsocontainstheeasternmosttipofLucas The 2,202-acreMageeMarshWildlifeAreaislocatedinBentonandCarroll 62 Amenities: 63 Ottawa County OT3 Amenities: 63 Location Map: The publicly accessible Camp Perry Beach is located on the grounds of the The publicly accessible Camp Perry Beach is located Perry to Camp entrance main Reservation. The Camp Perry Military 640-acre Route 358 intersection. is on Niagara Road, north of the State Route 2/State & Conference Center The beach is situated behind the Camp Perry Lodging a swimming beach, fishing facility on Lawrence Road. Public amenities include include a museum and pier and restroom facilities. The military grounds also self-guided tours with interpretive signage. Yes Road Terrain

Lake Erie (over wall)

Latitude: Location: N 41° 32.79’ Recreational Site Type: Longitude: W 083° 00.81’ Erie Township Waterbody: Stairs to Shore 1000 Lawrence

Jurisdiction: Camp Perry Beach Camp Perry Road, at Scorpion Shore Access: 62 Ottawa

County OT4 (State Route163)at Shore Access: including JeffersonStreetPier Waterworks Park East PerryStreet Jefferson Street Shore Structure Jurisdiction: Waterbody: Path toShore W 082°56.13’ Portage River Longitude: Site Type: Recreational N 41°30.86’ Port Clinton Location: Latitude: Lake Erie Yes Lakefront Preserve(east). park andbaseball/softballfield. Waterworks Parkisadjacentto the PortClinton amenities includeahandicapped-accessible trail,picnicarea,playground,skate stocked with fish to provide a third angling option. Some of the park’s other mouth. DerbyPond,asmallpondlocatedintheeasternpartofpark, is and fromtheJeffersonStreetPier, whichextendsintothelakeatriver’s southeast bankofthePortageRiver. Fishingaccessisavailablealongtheriver Waterworks ParkindowntownPortClintonbordersbothLakeErieandthe Location Map: 64 Amenities: 65 Ottawa County OT5 Amenities: 65 Location Map: The Port Clinton Lakefront Preserve is located in Port Clinton between The Port Clinton Lakefront Preserve is located Park (west) and Port Clinton City Beach (east), totaling nearly one Waterworks preserve was purchased in mile of publicly accessible Lake Erie shore. The Land Conservation Program 2009 with funding from the Coastal and Estuarine Coastal Management, and a (CELCP) administered by the ODNR Office of The city of Port Clinton, Clean Ohio Green Space Conservation Fund grant. were integral for Public Land and the Black Swamp Conservancy the Trust partners in the land acquisition. The city owns the property and Black Swamp Conservancy holds a conservation easement over the preserve, requiring that the land be permanently maintained as a nature preserve. The preserve includes wetlands, marsh and a one-third mile sand beach. A crushed-stone walking trail through the preserve was completed in 2014. The trail connects to both adjacent access sites. Yes Terrain

Lake Erie Latitude: Location: Port Clinton N 41° 30.85’

Recreational Site Type: Longitude: W 082° 55.85’ Lincoln Street Waterbody: Jurisdiction:

East Perry Street PortLakefront Preserve Clinton Shore Access: (State Route 163) at 64 Ottawa

County OT6 Shore Access: (State Route163), including LakeviewCityPark ClintonCity Beach Port between Ashand East PerryStreet Jurisdiction: Waterbody: Path toShore W 082°55.49’ Longitude: Cedar streets Site Type: Recreational N 41°30.84’ Port Clinton Location: Latitude: Lake Erie Yes Beach isalsoadjacenttothePortClinton LakefrontPreserve(west). basketball courtandplaygroundarelocated atthecitypark.PortClintonCity Additional recreationalamenities,including picnicareasandshelter, restrooms, a pedestrian-activatedtrafficsignal connects theparkinglottobeach. is alsopermitted.ParkinglocatedatLakeviewCityPark.Acrosswalkwith swimming beachandbenchestoenjoyscenicviewsofLakeErie.Fishing across fromLakeviewCity Park. The access site features a2,180-foot long Port Clinton City Beach is located on East Perry Street (State Route 163) Location Map: 66 Amenities: Beach City Park Lakeview 67 Ottawa County OT7 Amenities: 67 Location Map: The nearly 10-acre Catawba Island State Park is a day-use park primarily used The nearly 10-acre Catawba Island State Park is a Dock on East Moore’s for Lake Erie fishing and boating. The park is located park features a The Road on the west side of Catawba Island Township. parking a three-lane public boat ramp, a 120-vehicle/trailer large fishing pier, beach cobble 400-foot A playground. and shelter picnic restrooms, lot, the site denotes marker on A historic the pier. from to the northwest stretches Reserve, which crosses westernmost boundary of the Connecticut Western just to the east of Catawba Island State Park. Yes

Lake Erie Township Boat Ramp Latitude: Location: N 41° 34.45’

Recreational Site Type: Longitude: W 082° 51.41’ Path to Shore Waterbody: Catawba Island Jurisdiction:

Shore Structure Catawba Island State Park Catawba Shore Access: 4049 East Moore’s 4049 East Moore’s NW Catawba Road Dock Road, west of 66 Ottawa

County OT8 Long: W082°48.56’ Long: W082°49.05’ Main Entrance: Danbury Township Shore Access: East HarborStatePark (State Route269) Trail accessfrom Lat: N41°33.55’ Lat: N41°32.71’ Jurisdiction: Middle Harbor Waterbody: Buck Road: Path toShore Site Type: West Harbor Recreational Entrance: Alternate Location: East Harbor 1169 North Buck Road Buck Road Lake Erie Terrain Yes

Location Map: Fishing ispermittedinLakeErieand theharbors. The parkaffordsmanywildlifeviewing opportunities. can findrefuge.Huntingisnotpermitted inMiddleHarbor. species. Middle Harbor is a game sanctuary where wildlife an abundanceofwaterfowl,shorebirds andotherwildlife Middle ,whicharewetlandmarshes thatattract park includesandybeaches,woodedareasandEast for day-useandovernightvisitors.Naturalfeaturesatthe range ofnaturalsettingsandrecreationalopportunities East HarborStateParkinDanburyTownship featuresa 68 Amenities: use only Campground more See rightfor 69 Ottawa County OT8 The marina offers a boat ramp, seasonal and day- use dock rentals, boat fuel, a full-time mechanic and boat supplies. A fee is required to use the marina launch. Amenities: 69

The 1,831-acre East Harbor State Park boasts 11 hiking trails and one multi-use trail. The Middle The 1,831-acre East Harbor State Park boasts 11 follow the bank of Middle Harbor and and Middle Harbor Extension, totaling 1.25 miles, Harbor Trail Edge Trail Water’s Trail, Beach South Loop, The platforms. observation two to lead total 6 miles and intertwine on a natural strip of land located between Lake Erie Trail and Wetlands Harbor boat entrance channel follows the West Harbor Trail The 0.75-mile West and the East Harbor. is located at the northern terminus of Buck Road. and connects to the swimming beach. Its trailhead Trail and Wetlands Beach Trail South Middle Harbor Trail, The Channel Dunes Loop, Meadows Trail, are all available for snowmobiling in winter. accessible Lake Erie shore is nearly 2.5 miles long and includes a 1,500-foot long public The park’s and vending machines are available at the swimming beach. Picnic tables, the North Bathhouse however pets are allowed on the South Beach, beach. The swimming beach is not dog-friendly, Beach. East Harbor State Park also offers two boat launches – a free ramp within the or Boater’s marina, campers only), and a ramp at the park’s campground that provides access to East Harbor (for with direct access to Lake Erie. Both harbors have channels Harbor. which provides access to West camp store and nature 571-site campground includes an amphitheater, East Harbor State Park’s among other amenities. Overnight guests may reserve one of two camper cabins or a Yurt. center, Glacial grooves can be found in the camp area. Waterbody: Harbor West Shore Access: Yes Boat Ramp Lat/Long: N 41° 33.48’ W 082° 49.19’ East Harbor State Park Marina East Harbor Location: 2188 North Buck Road East Harbor State Park East Harbor OT8.1 68 Ottawa

County OT9 Danbury Township Shore Access: 8957 NorthShore Mazurik AccessArea Jurisdiction: Waterbody: Path toShore W 082°45.81’ Longitude: Site Type: Recreational N 41°32.46’ Location: Latitude: Boat Ramp Lake Erie Road Yes limited, butincluderestrooms. The parking lot is lighted and accessible 24 hours. Additional amenities are parking lotwith40car-only spacesand ahandicapped-accessiblefishingpier. Access includesafour-lane concrete boat ramp,a 215-space vehicle/trailer site providesboatersandanglersdirectaccesstoLakeErie.TheMazurik Marblehead PeninsulaonNorthShoreBoulevardjustwestofLakeside.This The 15.9-acre Mazurik Access Area is located on the north side of the Location Map: 70 Amenities: 71 Ottawa County OT10 Amenities: 71 Location Map: Built in 1821, the Marblehead Lighthouse is the oldest continuously-operating Built in 1821, the Marblehead Lighthouse is the oldest the most visited and most lighthouse on the Great Lakes. It is also one of lighthouse is the Basin. The Western photographed landmarks in Lake Erie’s state park located 13.5-acre centerpiece attraction and namesake for the The park offers picnicking at the eastern tip of the Marblehead Peninsula. and also of Cedar Point and scenic views of Kelleys and South amenities at Marblehead Lighthouse Other Amusement Park in Sandusky. State Park include a handicapped-accessible paved path to the lighthouse, restrooms and viewing binoculars. Fishing is permitted along the limestone for a fee between bedrock shore. Guided tours of the lighthouse are offered House includes a museum. Memorial and Labor days, and the on-site Keeper’s The lighthouse is not handicapped accessible.

Yes Terrain Cultural Lake Erie

Latitude: N 41° 32.18 Location: Marblehead Recreational Site Type: Drive, east of Longitude: W 082° 42.75’ Path to Shore

Waterbody: 110 Lighthouse Jurisdiction: East Main Street (State Route 163)

State Park Marblehead Lighthouse Lighthouse Marblehead Shore Access: 70 Ottawa County OT11 Shore Access: Lake PointPark (State Route163) Bay ShoreRoad Jurisdiction: Waterbody: W 082°42.77’ Longitude: Edge ofBluff Site Type: Recreational Marblehead N 41°31.63’ Location: Latitude: 11257 East Lake Erie Scenic No

hikers andisalsoanotherfishingoption. trails. Aremnantquarrypondprovides ascenicbackdropforpicnickersand amenities, includingpicnictables,ashelter house,playground,restroomsand from theeasternsection.LakePoint Park’s westernportionincludesallother Cedar PointAmusementParkinSandusky. Fishingaccessisalso available Benches overlookingthelakeprovidepanoramicviewstoeasttoward Marblehead. ScenicLakeErieaccessisavailableatthepark’s easternportion. park, islocatedonbothsidesofBayShoreRoad(StateRoute163) in The 8.7-acreDanburyTownship-owned LakePointPark,aformerroadside Location Map: 72 Amenities: 73 Ottawa County OT12 Amenities: 73 Location Map: Johnson’s Island is a 300-acre island located in Sandusky Bay. In 1861, it Island is a 300-acre island located in Sandusky Bay. Johnson’s camp to incarcerate prisoner-of-war was chosen to be the site of a Civil War Island Johnson’s at arrived prisoners first The soldiers. Confederate captured 15,000) captured soldiers in 1862. More than 9,000 (in some estimates up to in September 1865. were held at the prison before it was decommissioned which is the only Island Confederate Soldier Cemetery, The 1.2-acre Johnson’s grave sites. The exact remaining vestige of the prison, includes 206 marked number and location of all graves is unknown. The bayside cemetery has a parking area and three monuments dedicated to the soldiers who died at the prison. There are no amenities at the site. The island is accessible via Gaydos Island Causeway (toll), which is accessible from Bay Shore Road/Johnson’s Road (State Route 163) in Marblehead. Yes Island Terrain Cultural

Latitude: Location: N 41° 30.04’ Marblehead Site Type:

Longitude: W 082° 43.80’ Sandusky Bay Waterbody: Jurisdiction:

Confederate Soldier Cemetery Confederate Johnson’s Island Johnson’s Shore Access: South Confederate Drive, on Johnson’s Drive, on Johnson’s 72 Ottawa County OT13 Danbury Township south ofHartshorn Shore Access: Dempsey FishingAccess Bay ShoreRoad, Jurisdiction: Waterbody: Sandusky Bay Path toShore W 082°45.65’ Longitude: Site Type: Recreational N 41°30.46’ Location: Latitude: Boat Ramp Road Yes accessible 24hours.Additionalamenities arelimited,butincluderestrooms. dock andahandicapped-accessiblefishing pier. Theparkinglotislightedand boat ramp,avehicle/trailerparkinglot with45car-only spaces,smallfishing Sandusky Bay. TheDempseyFishingAccessincludesafour-lane concrete of HartshornRoad.Thissiteprovidesboatersandanglersdirectaccess to Marblehead PeninsulaonSouthBayShoreRoadinDanburyTownship, south The 66.8-acreDempseyFishingAccessislocatedonthesouthsideof Location Map: 74 Amenities: 75 Ottawa County OT14 Amenities: 75 Location Map: The Sandusky Bay Bridge Access (North) is a state-operated public fishing The Sandusky Bay Bridge Access (North) is a state-operated Fishing Access in Danbury site approximately 4.2 miles west of the Dempsey Sandusky Bay The nearly one-mile long access extends south into Township. Bay Bridge. In 1965, and was once the northern approach to the old Sandusky Thomas traffic was rerouted to the new four-lane the majority of the bridge’s two- 269). The old Route 2 and State (State Route Bridge Memorial A. Edison in removed was County, Erie in View Bay to connected which bridge, lane fishing popular a also is County Erie in approach causeway southern The 1985. location (see ER2). A handicapped-accessible fishing deck was added in 2013. Yes Road Latitude: Location: N 41° 29.05’ Recreational Site Type: Longitude: W 082° 49.76’ Sandusky Bay Waterbody:

Jurisdiction: Shore Structure west of Danbury Bay Shore Road,

Shore Access: Danbury Township

(North) Sandusky Bay Bridge Access Sandusky 74