Cascade Locks Park Association

Cascade Locks Master Plan

In 2004 the Cascade Locks Park Association completed a plan for one of Akron's two heritage canalway "nodes." These nodes, or linkage centers, were significant components of the canalway's master plan. Through a grant from the Ohio & Erie Canal Association, the FirstEnergy Foundation and the The Charles E. & Mabel M. Ritchie Memorial Foundation, CLPA worked with our partners and Behnke & Associates, Inc. to create a plan that expanded on our Cascade Locks Park Master Plan and provided recommendations to develop this area to its highest potential.

The plan presented the park as a crossroads of activity in a growing urban area with residential, retail, recreation and entertainment surrounding it. It provided connections between the Mustill House and Store, the towpath trail, the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, Northside and downtown Akron. Mixed use development possibilities for Howard Street, a celebration of Howard Street's history and gateways to the park were all part of the plan. Finally, the plan featured schematic design of the former site of Ferdinand Schumacher's Cascade Mills. The park contiues to grow and evolve as gardens, and features are added.

Cascade Locks History

1826

Built during 1826 and 27, the Cascade Locks became the site of the city's first industrial valley. The same topography that presented an obstacle for the canal builders provided waterpower for a string of industries that soon lined the canal. This new village, founded by Dr. Eliakim Crosby, with help from Simon Perkins, was called Cascade. It later became what we now call North Akron. The Cascade Locks were constructed of huge blocks of sandstone, sawed and chiseled to shape. The locks have a width of 15 feet, and they are up to 90 feet long. The source of canal water was, and still is the Portage Lakes.

1832

Parallel to the canal, was the Cascade Race, built in 1832 by Eliakim Crosby. It was this separate mill race which turned the water wheels of the Cascade Mills along with several other flour mills, a woolen mill, a furniture factory, five iron furnaces, a distillery, and other early Akron industries.

1876

The first building constructed on the project site was The Cascade Grist Mill, it was built by in 1840 by William Mitchell. Ownership changed hands a few times before Ferdinand Schumacher purchased the mill in 1868. By 1876 he had invested heavily in the structure by constructing a state-of-the-art water power system, including a 36 foot "overshot" wheel.

1890

Aetna Mills, sat on Lock 10 at the southern end of the Cascade Locks.

1900

By the end of the century, the only common freight traffic on the Ohio & Erie was coal for the boilers of Lake Erie steamboats. Nevertheless, there arose a move to restore the canal for excursion trade; and in 1906 and 07, a contract was let to the Daley Brothers to accomplish the project. To preserve the 15-foot width of the channel, the Daley workers chipped back the sandstone blocks about a foot deep and then cast a heavy waterproofing barrier of concrete into this wall cavity They also built many new gates.

1913

The Great Flood of 1913 was one of the worst natural disasters in Ohio history. The Akron area received over 9 inches of rain during the week of March 23, 1913. Falling on still frozen ground, the rain could not be absorbed, causing flooding of lakes, rivers, and streams. The Cascade Locks area suffered severe damage to businesses, roads, and bridges. Many homes washed comletelay away. To relieve the pressure from backed up water, some of the locks were dynamited. The damage was beyond repair. The Conservancy Act of Ohio in 1914 set up conservancy districts to promote constuction of water control systems and prevent the type of destruction that occurred in March 1913.

1923

Schumacher Mills in ruins after the flood and the ravages of time.

1990

Stone Arch at Lock 14 dicovered and saved through the efforts of local canal and preservations groups, including Cascade Locks Park Association, Ohio Canal Society, Progress Through Preservation, Summit County Historical Society and the OECCC. The arch was carefully numbered and dismantled for relocation in the Cascade Locks Park.

2005

Overgrown and neglected site of the planned Cascade Valley Park before construction begins.

2005

Master Plan for Cascade Locks Park is developed. The Schumacher Wheel as designed by Chuck Ayers.

2006

Construction begins on Cascade Locks Park in 2006.

2009

Cascade Locks Park is completed and ready for the Grand Opening.