In the early 19th century my town was the location of the North Union Shaker community – whence its name, Shaker Heights.
The Shakers dammed Doan Brook to form two lakes for a woolen mill, a grist mill and a saw mill. The Shaker buildings are gone, but the lakes remain as park areas for the city. A few artifacts such as the gate post above and a mill stone still exist and are memorialized with historical plaques.
In the early 20th century when Shaker Village was being developed, two more lakes were formed adding to the park-like ambience of the town. Green Lake, or the Duck Pond, is a popular place to walk, watch the birds, and feed the ducks. For some time, the lake was been filling up with debris from leaves, geese and ducks, and general eutrophication.
This led to the introduction of a dredging project, as the ducks have not been swimming so much as walking across the lake. The project got off to a rocky start when some endangered turtles were discovered in the lake. Now, however, the turtles have been moved and dredging is taking place.
It has been fun to watch the little blue and white dredge, War Eagle Charlie, making its way across the lake, laying out buoy lines, setting down stabilizers, and sucking up the muck from the bottom of the lake. Here are some photos.
The dredge, War Eagle Charlie
Looking toward Andover Road
War Eagle Charlie
Looking toward South Woodland
Gunsmoke and Knitting 