Chippewa Lake was carved from the wilderness over 12,000 years ago by glaciers.
The 385 acre oval that remains is the largest natural lake in Ohio.
The first recorded private ownership of the lake and surrounding property is from 1825
when Samuel Fowler obtained a grant of a large tract from the state of Connecticut,
which owned the entire Western Reserve at the time.
By the late 1800's, farmers had found their way around the lake,
which also became recognized as a pleasant vacation spot.
The Village of Chippewa-on-the-Lake was laid out in 1873.
In 1875, E. E. Andres, a druggist from Seville purchased land at Chippewa Lake
to fulfill his vision of a summer resort which would become known as Chippewa Lake Park.
The Townsend family came to Chippewa Lake
and purchased the Robb farm and additional acreage around the lake.
They built many of the buildings surrounding the lake and Chippewa Lake Park.
Oscar Townsend remodeled the old farmhouse and created a grand estate.
He added a barn, a carriage house, a boathouse, and formal gardens.
The estate was completed around 1914 and was a showplace for Medina County.
It became a standard for hospitality and gracious living, and played host to the rich and famous.
The area was booming and the Park thrived.
The biggest names in entertainment of that era were featured at Chippewa Lake Park.
Mr. Townsend lived only a few years after completing his lakeside retreat,
and the estate passed through many other owners and uses.
It has been operated as a dining establishment and bar for decades,
and outlasted the Chippewa Lake Park, which closed its doors in 1978.
This geocache has been placed with the permission of Johnny Pollizi.
"Find it... in Medina County" is a series of 25 geocaches placed throughout the area
at various parks and other points of interest.
Those who locate at least 18 of the geocaches in the series and present their completed passport at one of our redemption sites will receive a fabulous trackable geocoin as a memento of the fun that they have had exploring the area. (Limited to the first 250-- one per caching name).
Update August 2016: We have reordered another 250 geocoins!
Caches will remain in place and coins are available to the first 500 geocachers to complete the series.
And as an added bonus, there will be an extra surprise for those that find
at least 22 geocaches in the series! (While supplies last.)
You may print your passport by clicking here: "Find it... in Medina County" passport
Redemption sites and their hours are listed on the passport.
A list of the geocaches in this series can be found here:: "Find it... in Medina County" geocaches