Fort Wayne Moraine facts for kids
The Fort Wayne Moraine is a long, low ridge of hills and rocks. It was left behind by a giant glacier (a huge sheet of ice) many thousands of years ago. Think of it like a giant bulldozer pushing dirt and rocks as it moves! This moraine is located near Fort Wayne, Indiana. It formed at the same time as the last parts of the Valparaiso Moraine.
The northern part of the Fort Wayne Moraine is mostly covered by a younger moraine called the Wabash Moraine. This part angles northeast through Williams County, Ohio. You can see it clearly in Lenawee County, Michigan, south and northeast of Adrian. It then blends into other moraines around Ann Arbor.
The southern and eastern part of the moraine follows the northern bank of the St. Marys River into Ohio. Near the north bend of the St. Marys River, the moraine curves northeast. It goes through Lima and then north of U.S. 30 in Hancock County. It passes through Upper Sandusky and then bends north again. It finally ends about 15 miles (24 km) to 20 miles (32 km) to the northeast.
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What is the Fort Wayne Moraine?
The Fort Wayne Moraine starts northeast of Upper Sandusky in Wyandot. It loops along the southern border of the county. Then it enters Hardin County along its northern border with Hancock County.
From there, the moraine runs west-southwest to Lima. From Lima, it goes west and northwest along the right bank of the St. Mary's River to Fort Wayne. It then continues northeast along the left bank of the St. Joseph River to Hudson, Michigan in Lenawee County.
How Big is the Moraine?
The Fort Wayne Moraine is usually 3 miles (4.8 km) or 4 miles (6.4 km) wide. Its surface is wavy, like gentle hills. The highest part of the moraine is about 50 feet (15 m) to 75 feet (23 m) above the rivers that flow next to it. These rivers are in deep channels, about 20 feet (6.1 m) to 30 feet (9.1 m) deep.
The moraine itself is 30 feet (9.1 m) to 50 feet (15 m) higher than the flat land or plains around it. The wide outer slope, which can be a mile (1.6 km) or more, creates the local changes in height. The ground material of the moraine is mostly clay mixed with large rocks called boulders.
Fort Wayne Moraine Locations | ||
City or Location | County, State | Elevation |
---|---|---|
Hudson | Lenawee County, Michigan | 927 feet (283 m) |
Summit west of Bryan | Williams County, Ohio | 873 feet (266 m) |
Summit west of Hicksville | Defiance, Ohio | 849 feet (259 m) |
Wabash-Erie Channel | Allen County, Indiana | 737 feet (225 m) |
Summit east of Fort Wayne | Allen County, Indiana | 813 feet (248 m) |
Summit, section 112, Madison | Allen County, Indiana | 846 feet (258 m) |
Two miles south of Spencerville | Allen County, Ohio | 872 feet (266 m) |
Two miles south of Lima | Allen County, Ohio | 895 feet (273 m) |
One mile north of Hog Creek Marsh | Hardin County, Ohio | 914 feet (279 m) |
The St. Mary's River Connection
You can see how the moraine affects the path of the St. Mary's River. The river starts in Auglaize and Mercer counties. It flows north towards the Maumee River. But when it reaches the moraine ridge, it turns west.
This ridge acts like a natural wall. It separates the water flowing into the St. Mary's River from the water flowing into the Auglaize River. The ridge is about 4 miles (6.4 km) from the St. Mary's River. It is about 30 miles (48 km) from the Auglaize River.
In Allen County, Indiana, an old road called the Wayne Trace (or Piqua Road) follows the top of this ridge. The side of the moraine facing inward is gentle. But the outer side is steep. West of a gap called Six Mile Creek, the moraine forms a bold cliff. This cliff is 40 feet (12 m) to 50 feet (15 m) high. It reaches the spot where the Wabash and Erie Canal once crossed the St. Mary's River. The highest point of the ridge is 76 feet (23 m) above where the St. Mary's River joins another river. The ridge is mostly made of clay with boulders. Its northern end has a border of sand and gravel.
The St. Joseph River Connection
North of Fort Wayne, the moraine has a simpler shape. It stretches from Fort Wayne along the left bank of the St. Joseph River into Michigan. In Indiana, it is about four miles (6.4 km) wide. It gets wider as it goes through Ohio and Michigan. The moraine rises 50 feet (15 m) to 70 feet (21 m) above the old bed of Lake Maumee.
Other Nearby Moraines
The flat lands to the east, between the Fort Wayne Moraine and the Defiance Moraine, are about 45 miles (72 km) wide. This area has faint moraines that are closely related to the Fort Wayne Moraine.
Two moraines run next to the main Fort Wayne Moraine near Lima, Ohio.
- The Bluffton moraine is west of Mount Cory to Bluffton. It then turns southwest, coming within a mile (1.6 km) of Cairo and Elida.
- The Rawson moraine runs west from Rawson. It curves southwest, roughly parallel to the Bluffton moraine. It is about 2 or 3 miles (3.2 or 4.8 km) north of the Bluffton moraine.
A third important ridge crosses Allen, Van Wert, and into Adams and Allen counties. East of Landeck, about 3 miles (4.8 km) southwest of Delphos, this ridge is not very clear. It goes through Venedocia to the Auglaize River, about 1 mile (1.6 km) northeast of Southworth. To the west, the ridge is clear near Monroeville, Indiana. In Indiana, this ridge has two crests. North of Glenmore, the moraine turns northwest. This ridge formed after the Bluffton moraine. It might be a continuation of the Rawson moraine that extends westward.