Redstone Run Highland Reserve tour

Bluestone Heights

View N from the plunge pool to the Cleveland Shale

Friends of Euclid Creek

Redstone Run Highland Reserve

for the

Photo: D. Lawrence

Portage Escarpment nature and history

Tuesday, May 6, 6:30 pm25309 Highland Rd, Richmond Heights

© 2014 Bluestone Heights

Walk back in time Look toward the Future

Bluestone Heights




for the

Photo: D. Lawrence

Redstone Run Highland Reserve comprises 8 acres just north of Highland Rd in Richmond Heights. Here, the stream cuts through the hard bluestone to create a small gorge in the softer shale below.

The reserve conserves local nature and history. With it, the Friends of Euclid Creek can foster education and research on important watershed issues.Join us to explore and plan.


Walk back in time Look toward the Future

Bluestone Heights




for the

Photo: D. Lawrence

Roy Larick, Al Klonowski, Claire Posius

Join us at Redstone Run


Presentations by

216-524-6580 x 16 / [email protected]

With glacial retreat, 16,000 years ago, rushing meltwater generated many streams along the Portage Escarpment. Euclid Creek formed between the pre-glacial Cuyahoga and Chagrin valleys.

Portage Escarpmentdeglaciation

Euclid

Moraine

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luestone

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Sandstone

terrace

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“redstone”

massif

For a short time, 14,000 years ago, the retreating glacial ice stalled and deposited the Euclid Moraine. This feature diverted local north-flowing streams westward to form Euclid Creek’s east branch. M

ain branch

East branch

Euclid Creek


Portage

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The main branch begins in high on the escarpment to flow northward. The east branch gathers headwaters forced westward along the Euclid Moraine.

Each branch falls over the Euclid bluestone to create a gorge in the underlying Bedford, Cleveland and Chagrin shales.

The Highland Reserve lies where main branch tributary Redstone Run falls over the bluestone to cut a miniature gorge.

Euclid Moraine EuclidMoraine

Portage EscarpmentRedstone Run

USGS LiDAR elevations railsandtrails.com Google Earth aerial viewer

Euclid bluestone terrace

Berea ‘redstone’

massif

Euclid Creek

Main branch

East branch

Clar

ibel

Steve

nson Bro

ok

Berea Sandstone terrace

Redstone Run begins on a sandstone massif and cuts across sandstone and bluestone terraces. It then falls fast to the confluence of Euclid Creek’s main and east branches.

At the Highland Reserve, Redstone Run cuts through the hard bluestone to create a small gorge in the softer shale below.

Highland Reserve


Redstone Run

Creek

Highland Rd

Chardon Rd

Richmond Rd

Green Rd

Monticello BlvdSo

uthe

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Euclid

Moraine

Redstone Run

USGS LiDAR elevations railsandtrails.com Google Earth aerial viewer

Euclid

bluestone

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Berea

‘redstone’

massif

Euclid Creek

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anch East branch

Redstone Run Claribel CreekStevenson Brook

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The Redstone Run source is just west of Richmond and north of Monticello. Building stone quarried here has a pinkish color, hence the name ‘redstone’.

As the Redstone, Stevenson, and Claribel streams flow across the bluestone terrace, each cuts a knick point waterfall and gorge. During the last 14,000 years, the knick points have migrated upstream nearly 1 mi.

Highland Reserve

Redstone building foundations survive along Richmond & Highland Rds.


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Redstone Run Highland Reserve, The parcel straddles Redstone Run for 750 to 950 feet, south to north

Redstone Run drains to the confluence of Euclid Creek’s main & east branches.

Google Earth aerial, USGS LiDAR substrate

Several feet of Euclid bluestone cap the reserve gorge. The cap rock forms the surface of a large plain stretching from Cleveland Hts eastward to the Chagrin River—the bluestone terrace

The cap has resisted the buldozing effect of several glacial advances, but has lost some thickness in the process.


Photo: D. Lawrence

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Bluestone knick point

The Highland Reserve lies at Redstone Run’s Euclid bluestone knick point. At the knick, the stream cuts slowly through the hard bluestone and quickly throuh the softer underlying shales. The result is a knick point waterfall.

South of Highland (off the reserve), the stream descends through several thin layers of bluestone.

View N (downstream) from Highland Rd, across the plunge pool. A debris field of bluestone cobbles lies at the end of the pool.

North of Highland, the culvert descends

through massive shale layers. Emerging at high speed from the culvert,

floodwaters form a substantial plunge pool.

Photos: D. Lawrence

Redstone Runknick point profile

view east

The shale waterfall is culverted under Highland Rd.

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In 1852, Highland was not yet a road, just a property line.

This knick point has a significant history. On it, the Richmond family, of Massachusetts, established a water-powered sawmill during the early 1800s.

Redstone Run is small for powering a mill. A dam raised the output. The Highland Rd crossing provided the dam site.

In 1864, Frank Verbsky, Euclid Twp’s first Bohemian immigrant, bought the parcel and ran the mill for another ten years or so.

The 1874 map shows the mill pond just south of Highland Rd.

In 1858, the mill is shown and the parcel is more accurately defined.

In 1814, Edmond Richmond bought Euclid Twp Lot 66 (160 a). In 1847, son-in-law Virgil Spring acquired 11 a in the SW corner. Edmond or Virgil began the mill.

Blackmore 1852

Hopkins 1858

Titus 1874© 2014 Bluestone Heights

The reserve parcel has borders nearly identical with the sawmill lot.

Time for archaeology!


Nor

th

Bluestone Heights




for the

Photo: D. Lawrence

Portage Escarpment nature and history

Tuesday, May 6, 6:30 pm25309 Highland Rd, Richmond Heights


216-524-6580 x 16 / [email protected]

Education

Redstone Run Highland Reserve tour