New names, rich histories
Megan Shaeffer, PhD, Supervisor of Cultural Resources
One of the many things that make Summit Metro Parks (SMP) a unique park system is that it has archaeologists and historians on staff in its conservation department. No other county-level park system in Ohio has cultural resources staff, and ours are kept busy with study and stewardship of over 90 inventoried archaeological sites, over 40 historic structures, and over a dozen sites/structures on the National Register of Historic Places.
Many of the park district’s archaeological sites are Indigenous sites. Summit County, like much of Ohio, has a rich and, at times, complex Indigenous past. In its mission to protect natural and cultural resources, SMP is dedicated to accurately representing the people who are part of not just our history, but part of the living landscape of the parks. Historically, much of the information about Indigenous cultures, histories and traditions has been misrepresented, misinterpreted or overlooked. SMP is re-evaluating its role in including, empowering and honoring marginalized groups and individuals, including Indigenous peoples. As part of that re-evaluation, Mingo Trail and Lodge will be renamed due to the uncomplimentary connotations of that term. Our cultural resources staff have conducted research and have consulted with local Indigenous individuals and groups to develop a better understanding of the term “Mingo” and its meaning within the context of our area’s history.
Who were the “Mingo”?
Though many locals grew up believing “Mingo” was the name of a tribe that lived in this area, the group called “Mingo” who lived here were not members of a distinct tribe. They were people who had lost connections with their original communities through the turmoil of being forcibly displaced from their homes. They joined together as a group here in what was known as the Ohio Country. They were from different tribal backgrounds: Seneca, Cayuga, Lenape and other members of the Haudenosaunee. Some may have heard of the Indigenous leader Chief Logan (also known by various other names, such as John Logan, James Logan, Tachnechdorus, Sayughtowa, Tah-gah-jute, Talgayeeta or Tocanioadorogon), who is often identified as a chief of this “Mingo Tribe.” Logan was the son of the Oneida Chief Shikellamy and was a Cayuga tribal member through his mother’s lineage.
The emerging community eventually settled along the Sandusky River in northwest Ohio, but were forced to cede their lands and move first to Kansas and later to Oklahoma after the Indian Removal Act of 1830 was passed. This group became what is today the Seneca-Cayuga Nation.
Why were they called “Mingo”? What does it mean?
The name “Mingo” was derived from an Algonquin (Lenape) word meaning “sneaky” or “treacherous” and was applied to this group by Europeans. This name is a byproduct of the forced removal and cultural devastation experienced by Indigenous peoples as they moved into and were subsequently moved out of our area from the 18th to the 19th centuries.
According to a 2019 quarterly review list published by the United States Board on Geographic Names, several sources note the derogatory nature of the name and agree that it was meant as a slur to refer to Indigenous peoples as untrustworthy and nefarious, particularly those detached from their tribes. This part of Ohio was a place where some of those who had been displaced came together in these new groups. Given the context and connotations of this name and the trauma of this time period, it’s not a flattering or appropriate name for a park amenity.
Why Chestnut Lodge?
Mingo Lodge will be renamed Chestnut Lodge. The name Chestnut Lodge touches on three deeply important themes for our area and our park district: Indigenous land use, conservation and park history. Before the arrival of Europeans, Indigenous peoples practiced large-scale land management, incorporating practices which were mutually beneficial for plants, animals and humans. Trees such as the chestnut were part of this landscape, providing medicine and materials for Indigenous populations as well as food for humans and animals alike.
In the early 1900s, the introduction of a parasitic fungus through non-native chestnut tree varieties almost entirely wiped out the American chestnut tree population. In northeast Ohio, the disease had killed most mature American chestnut trees by the 1920s and 1930s. Those that still stood were often infested with insects, giving the wood distinct holes, burrow lines and discoloration. This wood became known as “wormy chestnut.” Even with blight and insect damage, chestnut wood was still prized for its straight grain and resistance to decay.
Also in the 1930s, the United States experienced the economic devastation of the Great Depression. To combat widespread unemployment, programs such as the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) were created. CCC projects focused on conservation, land and wildlife management and the development of public recreation areas. CCC labor helped transform the Akron Metropolitan Park District (now Summit Metro Parks) into a recreational retreat for people throughout Summit County. The CCC constructed shelters, lodges, trails, restrooms and landscaping throughout the earliest parks in the district: Sand Run, Gorge, Goodyear Heights and Furnace Run metro parks. Wood harvested from blighted American chestnut trees was used in the structures built by the CCC, including what became known as Mingo Lodge. This wood has become a hallmark of structures from this era, particularly those erected by the CCC.
The story of the American chestnut tree ties together the threads of thousands of years of land stewardship, from the earliest peoples who called this place home to the park visitors who appreciate it today.
Why Nuthatch Trail?
Mingo Trail will be renamed Nuthatch Trail. Nuthatches, like chickadees and cardinals, are a very common bird in northeast Ohio. These acrobatic little birds can be found throughout the Metro Parks. While white-breasted nuthatches are the most common, red-breasted nuthatches can also be found where large stands of conifers are present. Their songs and calls can be heard throughout the wooded areas in Sand Run Metro Park.
Birds like the nuthatch remind us of the symbiotic natural system of which we are all a part. Though they are small, they are an integral player in the larger system of plant and animal relationships which create their ecosystem. They benefit from all stages of the life cycle of the trees they inhabit, for example. Nuthatches generally forage in bark for insects in the summer as well as cache seeds under bark which they return to in winter. They nest either in cavities formed in decaying trees or in abandoned woodpecker nests (which are also often found in decaying trees). Nuthatches are a non-migratory bird, meaning that they remain in their habitat year-round. Though normally found alone or in breeding pairs, to survive the winter they will sometimes join with other birds such as chickadees and titmice (which are also found throughout our area) in “mixed flocks,” foraging in a larger group to increase their chances of finding food and avoiding predators.
Because the former Mingo Trail icon featured the image of a bird feather, staff will keep this trail icon the same for Nuthatch Trail.
Trail updates at Valley View Area of Cascade Valley Metro Park
In 2023 during planning for the area’s future amenities, park district staff identified three new hiking trails at the Valley View Area: Prather Trail, Honeywell Link and Olmsted Trail. Each trail name was inspired by the history of the property.
Prather Trail
Prather Trail was named for one of the families that resided in a unique neighborhood that was on the property from the late 1940s through the 1970s. This neighborhood, called Wheelock Cuyahoga Acres, was marketed to both Black and White buyers — an uncommon proposition for this time in history. This trail’s icon marker symbol features a music note, which is symbolic of the family’s love for music and the rhythm and soul of Akron’s burgeoning Black community.
Honeywell Link
This aptly named trail will eventually link together the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail and other portions of Cascade Valley Metro Park, creating miles of trail connectivity available on foot or bike. The trail is named for Honeywell Drive, a road that ran through a neighborhood called Wheelock Cuyahoga Acres which once existed in the northern portion of the Valley View Area. Some of today’s trail is on the footprint of that road, and a drive that once linked residences can now bring together trails and green spaces.
Olmsted Trail, now called the Missing Link Trail
This trail was originally named for the Olmsted Brothers landscape architectural firm, which created the park district’s first master plan in 1925. The brothers, Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. and John Charles Olmsted, were famous landscape architects who identified the Valley View Area as a critical piece of conservation land, and until recently, Summit Metro Parks existed without this “missing link” that now connects 1,800 acres of green space across Gorge, Cascade Valley and Sand Run Metro Parks.
In the spirit of researching and continuous learning to best interpret our parks for the public, staff discovered a troubling component of Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr.’s legacy. While segregation was the accepted norm of his era, Olmsted Jr. conducted work on residential planning that heavily relied on his own model for effectively segregating residential areas based on race. Summit Metro Parks decided to update Olmsted Trail’s name to “Missing Link Trail” to honor and recognize the foresight of the Akron Metropolitan Park District, the precursor to Summit Metro Parks, to commission a master plan that helped guide the park district as it grew over the next century.
