August 6, 2014 brings Mid Summer’s Night Social, a joint meeting of the Friends of Euclid Creek, the Highland Heights Green Task Force, and the Greenwood Farm Association. Greenwood Farm straddles Euclid Creek east branch, just below the Euclid bluestone waterfall. At the meeting, we will hike the east branch gorge in the area of the falls. Greenwood Farm and the nearby Redstone Run Reserve are models for conserving escarpment run (lake-direct) ravines in Euclid and Richmond Heights.

1. Bluestone
Heights
Looking west from the
bluestone cataract waterfall.
Friends of
Euclid Creek
for the
Photo: J. Danforth
Wednesday, August 6, 6:30 pm
264 Richmond Rd, Richmond Heights
© 2014
Bluestone Heights
Walk back in time
Look toward the Future
Greenwood Farm Ravine Preserve
Euclid Creek East Branch
216-524-6580 x 16 / CPosius@cuyahogaswcd.org
Mid Summer’s Night Social
Portage Escarpment nature and history

2. Photo: J. Danforth
for the
Bluestone
Heights
Friends of
Euclid Creek
Roy Larick and Claire Posius
Join us at Greenwood Farm
© 2014
Bluestone Heights
Presentations by
216-524-6580 x 16 / CPosius@cuyahogaswcd.org
Friends of Euclid Creek
Greenwood Farm Association
Highland Hts Green Task Force
Mid Summer’s Night Social
Looking west from the
bluestone cataract waterfall.
Greenwood Farm Ravine Preserve
Euclid Creek East Branch
Portage Escarpment nature and history

3. Bluestone
Heights
Friends of
Euclid Creek
for the
Photo: J. Danforth
© 2014
Bluestone Heights
August 6, 2014 brings Mid Summer’s Night Social, a joint meeting
of the Friends of Euclid Creek, the Highland Heights Green Task
Force, and the Greenwood Farm Association.
Greenwood Farm straddles Euclid Creek east branch, just below
the Euclid bluestone waterfall. At the meeting, we will hike the
east branch gorge in the area of the falls.
Greenwood Farm and the nearby Redstone Run Reserve are
models for conserving escarpment run (lake-direct) ravines in
Euclid and Richmond Heights.
Looking west from the
bluestone cataract waterfall.
Greenwood Farm Ravine Preserve
Euclid Creek East Branch
Portage Escarpment nature and history

4. USGS LiDAR elevations railsandtrails.com Google Earth aerial viewer
Euclid Creek’s east branch drains the Euclid
bluestone terrace of western Lake and
eastern Cuyahoga Counties.
At Greenwood Farm, the east branch cuts
through the hard bluestone to extend a
gorge in the underlying soft shale.
© 2014
Bluestone Heights
Southeast Berea ‘redstone’ massif
Highland
Reserve
Greenwood
Farm
Join us to walk the head of the gorge

5. With glacial retreat, 16,000 years ago,
rushing melt water generated many
streams along the Portage Escarpment.
Euclid Creek formed between the pre-
glacial Cuyahoga and Chagrin valleys.
Moraine
Euclid
Creek
watershed
© 2014
Bluestone Heights
The east branch gathers
headwaters forced
westward along the
Euclid Moraine.
Portage Escarpment
deglaciation
The main branch begins in high on
the escarpment to flow northward.
ChagrinValley
Cuyahoga
Valley
RichmondRd
Mayfield Rd
Greenwood
Farm

6. © 2014
Bluestone Heights
The Euclid Moraine & the East Branch
Portage Escarpment at Euclid
Creek east branch
Portage Escarpment nature and history
USGS LiDAR elevations railsandtrails.com Google Earth aerial viewer
Highland
Reserve
Greenwood
Farm
For a short time,
14,000 years ago, the
retreating ice stalled
on the escarpment
north edge and
dropped a ribbon of
fine debris.
This Euclid Moraine
extended from Euclid
Creek westward into
New York State.
The moraine forced
melt water westward,
thereby forming Euclid
Creek east branch.
Several north-flowing
streams, including
Stevenson Brook and
Claribel Creek, became
tributary to the east
branch.
RichmondRd
In early settler days,
Chardon Rd was set on
top of the moraine.

7. © 2014
Bluestone Heights
Euclid bluestone terrace
Portage Escarpment at Euclid Creek
east branch
As the east branch and
tributaries flow across the
terrace, each cuts a knick
point waterfall and gorge.
During the last 14,000 years,
the bluestone knick points
have migrated upstream
approximately one mile.
The east branch begins atop
the Euclid bluestone, a broad
expanse of hard fine
sandstone. The cap rock
resisted several Ice Age
episodes of glacial buldozing.
Now, the bluestone cap rock
forms the surface of a large
plain stretching from
Cleveland Heights eastward
to the Chagrin River—the
bluestone terrace.
D. Lawrence
Euclid bluestone cap, Redstone Run
Portage Escarpment nature and history
USGS LiDAR elevations railsandtrails.com Google Earth aerial viewer
Bluestone Knick Points
Highland
Reserve
Greenwood
Farm
RichmondRd

8. © 2014
Bluestone Heights
Greenwood Farm Ravine Preserve
Greenwood Farm
264 Richmond Rd, Richmond Heights, OH 44143
Euclid Creek east branch knick point waterfall
USGS LiDAR elevations railsandtrails.com Google Earth aerial viewer
Portage Escarpment at Euclid Creek east br.
Highland
Reserve
Greenwood
Farm
Greenwood Farm lies
where the east branch
falls over the Euclid
bluestone.
The Greenwood Farm
tour explores the falls
area, known geologically
as a ‘knick point’.
As with all Bluestone
Heights tours, the
Greenwood Farm hike
explores the unique
weave of nature and
culture at a special
place.
Greenwood
Farm
RichmondRd

9. In 1798, the Connecticut Land Co.
employed John Moss and others to
cut Girdled Rd west from the
Pennsylvania line to Euclid. The west
terminus route is currently found in
OH-84 and Bishop Rd (yellow).
In 1798, Moss bought 720 acres on
Euclid Township’s east line (blue).
Moss may have wanted to take
advantage of the crossroad and the
east branch bluestone knick point
waterfall.
In 1809, Abraham Bishop acquired
the knick point area and established
a grist mill.
In 1814, Jonathan and son Seth D.
Pelton bought the mill and operated
it for a number of years.
Knick Point History OutlineAlso in 1798, Moss bought
84 acres on Euclid’s
shoreline bulge.
The area still bears the
name, Moss Point.
A number of transactions followed until
1908, when George and Maude Phypers
bought 18.62 acres just below the knick
point. They named the parcel
Greenwood Farm (red).
RichmondRd

10. In 1828, Euclid Township trustees
established 10 school districts. District 6
centered on Peltons Corners.
Euclid Dist 6 ‘Beechnut’
schoolhouse, c. 1890 When the Phypers bought in 1908, the 18.62-
acre parcel held a mid-nineteenth century
farmhouse. The Phypers planned to enlarge
and update the house, but it burned in 1916.
Early settler farmhouse, burned 1916
In 1917, the Phypers decided to build a new
house. They contracted to have it built of
paving brick, probably from the Buckeye Brick
Co. in Eucliid.
At 3,796 sq ft, the house was by far the
largest in newly formed Richmond Heights.
The dwelling featured a finished attic and
large porch.
Phypers house under construction, 1917
Garrison et al. 2005
Phypers collection
Phypers collection
Euclid History Museum
Greenwood Farm basics

11. In 2004, the City of Richmond Heights purchased
17 remaining acres from the last residing Phypers
descendants.
Presently, the Greenwood Farm Historical,
Cultural & Arts Association, Inc is charged to
preserve the farm and grounds, and to promote
local arts, culture, education and history.
Greenwood Farm Historical, Cultural & Arts Association
http://www.richmondheightsohio.org/GreenwoodFarm.php

12. © 2014
Bluestone Heights
Escarpment Run Ravine Preserves
D. Lawrence
Euclid bluestone cap, Redstone Run
USGS LiDAR elevations railsandtrails.com Google Earth aerial viewer
Burk Run
Green Creek
Lilly Run
Babbitt Run
Bluestone knick points are
also found on the north side
of the Euclid Moraine, where
small escarpment runs drain
to Lake Erie.
The escarpment runs are
younger than the Euclid
Creek headwaters south of
the moraine. Below the knick
points, the channels cut
through moraine deposits,
not shale.
The ravines are short but
voluminious, with special
ecologies.
Four large escarpment
ravines are available for
conservation within Euclid
and Richmond Heights.
Now is the time to preserve
these ecological treasures.
Greenwood Farm and the nearby Redstone
Run Reserve are models for conserving
escarpment run (lake-direct) ravines in Euclid
and Richmond Heights.
Highland
Reserve
Portage Escarpment at Euclid Creek E br.
RichmondRd
Greenwood
Farm

13. © 2014
Bluestone Heights
Lilly Run Escarpment Ravine
Portage Escarpment at Euclid Creek east br.
The main Lilly Run
escarpment ravine is related
to Euclid Creek east branch.
The Lilly ravine is a near
mirror to the east branch.
Both ravines have bluestone
knick points opposite each
other on the Euclid Moraine.
The east branch flow
southwest along the
moraine. Lilly Run heads
northwest off the moraine
and continues down the
escarpment to the lake plain.
The Lilly ravine is nearly
hidden from public view. It is
covered by just a few parcels.
The ravine has the remains of
an irrigation pond.
The City of Euclid is
assembling foreclosed
parcels. Paul Kovalcik is
coordinating an ecological
inventory.
USGS LiDAR elevations railsandtrails.com Google Earth aerial viewer
Burk Run
Green Creek
Lilly Run
Babbitt Run
One possible escarpment ravine preserve
covering Euclid and Richmond Heights.
Highland
Reserve
RichmondRd

14. Bluestone
Heights
Looking west from the
bluestone cataract waterfall.
Friends of
Euclid Creek
for the
Photo: J. Danforth
Wednesday, August 6, 6:30 pm
264 Richmond Rd, Richmond Heights
© 2014
Bluestone Heights
Walk back in time
Look toward the Future
Greenwood Farm Ravine Preserve
Euclid Creek East Branch
216-524-6580 x 16 / CPosius@cuyahogaswcd.org
Mid Summer’s Night Social
Portage Escarpment nature and history