You've probably heard of the Cuyahoga River, but what about the Little Cuyahoga River?
The river was crucial for Akron鈥檚 early industrial history, according to Charlotte Gintert, Cultural Resources Specialist at Summit Metro Parks.
Gintert discussed the river's history while standing in a wooded area near Case Avenue, where it flows.
"The river behind me is the Little Cuyahoga River, which is kind of an unknown, forgotten-about stream but really, really important in Akron鈥檚 history,鈥� Gintert said.
It鈥檚 a tributary of the Cuyahoga River.
鈥淚f it wasn't for the 鈥榣ittle鈥� one, the city of Akron probably wouldn't have developed the way we recognize it today,鈥� Gintert said.
In 1807, former sea captain Joseph Hart purchased land in what is now Akron鈥檚 Middlebury neighborhood, the city鈥檚 first settlement, she said. Hart started a grist mill.
鈥淭he Little Cuyahoga River had a natural waterfall at this location,鈥� Gintert said. 鈥淭hat gravity pull of the water is what powered the early mills.鈥�
The success of Captain Hart鈥檚 mill led to others, she added.
鈥淭here was a nail factory here, there was a blast furnace, and from there, a few years later, the clay companies started moving in, and that's Akron's first big industry,鈥� Gintert said. 鈥淗aving all those early industries along this little river here, because it had such a dramatic flow, it was able to power a lot in a small stretch of space.鈥�
As time went on, other industries boomed in other areas of the city, such as factories and stores near the Ohio & Erie Canal, and later, rubber factories. The significance of the Little Cuyahoga was forgotten over time, she said.
Meanwhile, sewer overflows and industrial pollution soiled the river, Gintert said.
鈥淭he Little Cuyahoga River was considered one of the most polluted tributaries in the state and it was causing like 17% of the contamination of the big Cuyahoga River where it empties into,鈥� Gintert said.
Gradual cleanup efforts have improved the river - but there鈥檚 still work to be done, she said.
鈥淗aving people become champions of the Little Cuyahoga River is something that is necessary,鈥� Gintert said.
