Van Buren State Park
Location: 12259 Township Rd. 218
Van Buren, OH
Correspondence and Phone Inquiries:
Mary Jane Thurston State Park
1-466 State Route 65
McClure, OH 43534-9711
(419) 832-7662
1-866-644-6727 for camping reservationsVan Buren State Park offers a
quiet retreat with fishing and picnicking opportunities. The woodlands are a
small but valued refuge in the rich agricultural land of northwestern Ohio.
Camping
Van Buren offers a multi-use campground at the east end of the park with 65
non-electric campsites for general camping as well as horseman's camping.
Tables, pit latrines and a dump station are provided. A primitive, walk-in,
youth-group camping area is located in the southeast section of the park and is
available by reservation. Pet camping is permitted on designated sites.
Fishing and Hunting
Good fishing is available at Van Buren Lake. Catches of largemouth bass, channel
catfish, crappie, bullhead, bluegill and carp await the skilled angler. Park
property east of TR 229 is designated for bow hunting only in accordance with
state laws. A valid Ohio fishing and/or hunting license is required.
Boating
Van Buren Lake provides excellent boating opportunities for rowboats, canoes and
boats with electric motors only.
Trails
Hiking trails circle the lake. Hikers, horseback riders, and mountain bikers are
welcome on 6 miles of multiple-use trails traversing steep ravines and gentler
terrain in scenic woodlands.
 Picnicking
Four picnic areas are situated in scenic locations throughout the park. Four
shelterhouses are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
More To Do
Volleyball courts and horseshoe pits are available for use at the picnic
areas. The park's nature center is located near the family campground.
The campground offers playground equipment and sports equipment and gamers
can be borrowed by registered campers at the camp office.
Nature of the Area
Van Buren State Park lies in the rich agricultural plains of northwest Ohio. The
plains, referred to as till plains, receive their name from the glacial debris,
or till, which covers preglacial hills and valleys. The till plains are the
result of the deposition and smoothing action of the glaciers. Most hills in
these areas are mounds of boulders and soil left by the retreating Wisconsinan
glacier. Beneath the almost continuous cover of glacial deposits lies
sedimentary bedrock which, in this region, is mostly limestone with a little
shale. Much of this limestone is the magnesium-bearing form called dolomite.
The original vegetation of the area, before settlement, was mostly woodland.
Today, much of the vegetation consists of farm crops such as corn, soybeans and
wheat. Locally, a small but valuable remnant of the original woodland remains.
Beech and sugar maple occupy a large portion of the wooded area in Van Buren
State Park. Mammals found in the area include red fox, red squirrel,
white-tailed deer, raccoon, skunk and opossum. Other animals found are the
eastern garter snake, spring peeper, eastern bluebird, eastern meadowlark,
cowbird, woodcock and short-eared owl. Wildflowers abound in the fields and
woodlands of the area. Dutchman's breeches, spring beauty, thimbleweed, daisy
fleabane and chicory are commonly found around the park.
 History of the
Area
The Van Buren State Park region was originally inhabited by the Shawnee
Indians. Banished from their homeland in south-central Ohio, this was the last
stronghold of the tribe before they eventually departed for lands west of the
Mississippi River. Indian artifacts and relics can still be found on what used
to be Indian Island, located in the northwest section of the lake.
Van Buren is located just north of the town of Findlay which was founded in
1821. The development of the town was quite slow until the discovery of natural
gas in the 1880s. A German physician named Charles Osterlen became convinced
that an enormous reservoir of natural gas lay beneath the town of Findlay. He
told of his belief and was scoffed at and regarded as a vain dreamer. But his
patience and perseverance prevailed as he succeeded in organizing a stock
company to drill for gas. The well was successful and spawned the growth of a
great industry in Findlay. At one time, Findlay claimed the largest gas well in
the world, with an output of 20 million cubic feet daily.
 The land
comprising Van Buren State Park was originally set aside as a wildlife preserve.
In 1939, a dam was constructed over Rocky Ford Creek to provide additional fish
and wildlife resources. In 1950, the area was turned over to the newly created
Division of Parks and Recreation. It has been maintained as a state park ever
since. The park was named for Martin Van Buren--eighth President of the United
States.
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