My Visit to Daughmer Savannah

Finally managed to get out to the Daughmer Preserve.  A storm system was moving through, and made for a fun time with my Olympus.  Approaching the preserve, the entire area is surrounded by corn fields.

There are these unusual looking trees sporadically throughout the corn fields.  I suspect they are remnant bur oaks that the farmers have allowed to remain.  I believe all of this area was once the property Richard Lepley inherited from his Aunt Hazel White Daughmer.  I didn't wish to trespass to confirm my hunch.  Took photos from afar.  The wind was kicking a bit here.

Parking area is just simple area with some gravel thrown down along with a porta-potty as well as signage about the preserve. You'll see a couple of paths through the growth, as well as signs periodically on the path.  The signs on the path have Scan Codes for smart phones which will link you directly to an information video on YouTube about some feature of the savannah.  

Path

Sign under Bur Oak about Fire's effect on the tree

As I walked down the path, I would stop periodically to look around.  Whenever I'd start back up, I kept hearing a click-clack or a rustling in the foliage to either side of me.  I kept looking, but was confused by what I was hearing.  Upon investigation, turns out, the plants were just full of crickets and other hoppy no see-ums, and whenever I would take a step, they would react.  Being so many of them, I could actually hear their unanimous movement.  

 

I wish I had someone with me to photograph under the trees, in order to give perspective of their size.  They are quite large and beautiful.  Here, I've deliberately framed in a home to provide a little perspective.  Although the home is some distance farther, you can at least begin to appreciate their true size.  

As I walked through some of the paths, I noticed several of these very large empty spaces where suddenly no plants were growing. Looked like a big dirt pile, which didn't make sense to me.  So I took a closer look.  They were the biggest ant hills I'd ever seen!  The photo unfortunately is boring and just looks like mound of mulch, but, I assure you, it was absolutely teeming with busy little ants, with multiple entrances all around their home.  I believe it was at least two feet across, maybe three feet.  

Birds were everywhere in the trees, calling, warning others of my presence.  I heard many bird calls I recognized, but, more than a couple which I could not place.  I heard multiple wood peckers, and strained to catch a glimpse.  I finally did, but much too far for my camera.  I saw the distinct black white pattern as one of them flew from one tree to the next, and took up his call again.  

Cardinal had a nice perch in which to observe and be observed

If you watch the videos, they talk about the interesting seed technique of the bur oaks.  I hadn't watched the videos, but as I walked by, I thought these look interesting and took a quick pic.  

I really enjoyed my visit, short as it was.  Very peaceful.  I wish more of the land could have been retained in this purchase, but, am glad they were able to get as much as they did.  

Here are some videos the Park Service has put together about Daughmer with some drone video. You can see the clean lines of corn fields against the park. Just imagine how many years of valuable trees were cut down.  I've no idea how old these trees are, but, more than a couple of them look to be pretty old, as big as they are.

 

This imbedded linked Video is published by the Daughmer Preserve

This imbedded linked Video is published by the Daughmer Preserve

This imbedded linked Video is published by the Daughmer Preserve

Daughmer Savannah

While doing some research on Lynn Lepley and Richard Lepley, I stumbled onto the Daughmer Prairie Savannah State Nature Preserve. It appears that when Richard died, a very special piece of land went up for auction.  Richard lived on his mother's family's farmland his entire life.  This land was near or even adjoined to this Daughmer Family Land.  When his maternal Aunt Hazel died, he inherited the land.  Bill Fisher stated to the Mansfield News-Journal, "He [Richard Lepley] allowed us to use the property as part of our program and was very intent on preserving it."  Although in the traditional sense it's not 'Lepley' Land, I still find this story worth sharing.  

The land is beautiful.  I have heard about the farmland which Lynn and Richard lived on from multiple Lepley family members who visited as a child.  The land was quite memorable children's minds apparently, and indeed, it seems to be the primary location from where all the scattered Lepley's from this branch returned.  

Due to copyright, I can't place direct photos of the preserve here in this post; I hope to get some time away from the kids to take my own and will share in a future post.  In the meantime, let me direct you to a couple of links with history and photos. 

• The preserve is currently managed by the Crawford Park District - Daughmer Prairie Savannah
• The land was purchased after Richard's death by Daughtmer Prairie by Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR)
• Birds of the Savannah - Jim McCormac Photography.  
  

Richard's parents were Lynn and Helen Lepley.  Helen's maiden name was White.  When Helen married Lynn Lepley, they were married on the White Family Farm and lived there permanently.  Lynn farmed and they raised their children.  The land came to be known among the Lepley family members as Lynn's Farm, but originally it belonged to the White Family.

Richard White Lepley

   .      

Lynn Lepley, Helen White Lepley

Helen's sister Hazel White married Frank Daughmer.  Helen and Hazel’s paternal ancestors are the original owners of this portion of the Savannah now preserved by the ODNR.  When Hazel died in 1995, both her husband Frank as well as her only sibling had already passed, and she had no children. The ODNR states that five generations of family have cared for the land.  Richard inherited Hazel's portion of the White land in 1995.  I believe the Hazel White Daughmer land and the Helen White Lepley land may have touched in some places, but, have not been able to get proper plot map in front of me to see if this is accurate.  Even if the properties didn't touch, I'm pretty confident that they were within a short drive of each other.  

This imbedded linked Video is published by the Daughmer Preserve 

According to Lepley family memory, the land was visited by local conservation or botanists groups over the years before Richard's death in 2010.  I have come across a few sources which back up this family claim.  [update - In one of the Daughmer History Videos the Park service published, Bill Fisher said conservation discussions went back many years to Richard's Aunt Hazel ]

• At the Tip of the Prairie Peninsula: Flora and Natural History of Prairie Remnants in the Sandusky Plains of Crawford, Marion and Wyandot Counties, Ohio - by John J Mack - published in Southern Appalachian Botanical Society.  This abstract summary of one such study discusses the threatened fauna found in the Daughmer Savannah.
• Mansfield New-Journal Article Historic Land On Auction Block Tonight - The Martha Ballreich mentioned in the article is the sister of Richard.  Lynn and Helen had only two children, Richard and Martha.  Martha married Owen Ballreich (of Ballreich's potato chips) and lived in Tiffin, Ohio. 

I am looking forward to making a trip up there, as soon as the Corona Virus stops putting a crimp in my lifestyle!  Here's a nice article by Bob Downing of the Akron Beacon Journal highlighting the dedication of the Prairie in Jun of 2013  Bur oak trees, prairie grasses dominate Daughmer Prairie Savannah in Ohio’s Crawford County