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Punderson Manor State Park Resort Offers Home Base For Exploring Northeast Ohio's Colorful, Surprising History NEWBURY, Ohio - When you walk along the quiet shore of the Punderson Lake on a sunny spring day when the park's great blue herons are active and the fields are particularly green, it's not hard to imagine that people have been drawn to the northeast Ohio for centuries. The reasons they came, though, are quite varied. The nomadic Indians who visited more than 10,000 years ago came for the abundant wildlife in the forests. Prominent archaeologist Charles Whittlesey came for the artifacts those nomads left behind. An enterprising land agent named Lemuel Punderson came for the "big pond" that could be used to power a grist mill. And a visionary named Joseph Smith came to build a temple shortly after the establishment of the Church of Latter-day Saints. An unlucky Detroit entrepreneur named Karl Long, came for peace and quiet.and to appease an unhappy wife. And visitors today come for wide-ranging activities - from golfing in the summer to cross-country skiing in the winter - in one of the state of Ohio's most exquisite regions. The Earliest VisitorsSome of the best examples of Ohio's early human history can be found in Northeast Ohio area, including Geauga County, home of Punderson State Park. The first people to occupy the area arrived 10,000 years ago, just after the glaciers receded. These early residents were nomads who followed wildlife to the area, moving in a northeasterly direction. From 10,000 B.C. to about 7000 B.C. the area was visited by Paleo-Indians, who also lived a nomadic existence. From 7000 B.C. to about 500 A.D., the Archaic Indians visited the area. This group left evidence of its presence in the form of tools and ceremonials artifacts. The first ax was developed during this period. The period from 500 A.D. to 1500 A.D. brought the Whittlesey Indians to northern Ohio. Named after Charles Whittlesey, a prominent scientist who explored the area in the mid-1800s, the Whittlesey Indians left behind an abundance of artifacts that offer a good picture of life during that period. Evidence of the life of Whittlesey Indians was found by archaeologists in ancient trash bins where the Indians left remnants of bone, shell and stone tools; ornaments; ceremonial artifacts and pipes. The Whittlesey Indians thrived in northeast Ohio and other parts of the territory until about 1650. The Seneca tribe of the Iroquois Nation used the area for hunting for about 150 years but never settled the area. During that time, the Mississauga Indians from Canada were given permission by the Iroquois to also use the fertile area for hunting. The years until Indians moved from Ohio after the Treaty of Greenville saw ever-changing tribes moving in and out of the northeastern Ohio territory, continuing the nomadic existence that they shared with their ancient predecessors. The SettlersBoth the park and the lake are named after Lemuel Punderson, a land agent who became Newbury Township's first permanent settler in 1802. He and his wife, Sybal, developed a small estate on the edge of the lake and built a small dam on the south side to use the outflowing water to power his grist mill. Known for his hospitality, his home became a popular gathering place for friends and family. Lemuel and Sybal are buried side by side at the southern tip of the lake. When Punderson died, his heirs sold the property to W.B. Cleveland. The acreage was eventually passed on to a son-in-law, Dr. Coopedge. Some 20 years after Punderson built his homestead, Joseph Smith established the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints just northwest of Punderson in a town called Kirtland. Between 1831 and 1838, Smith and early members of the church built a temple and laid an important foundation for the church's future. Today, the Historic Kirtland Visitors' Center is visited by Mormon pilgrims and other travelers from throughout the world. A new film dramatizes the significant events that unfolded in the area in the 1830s. Punderson State Park is situated almost directly in between Kirtland and another important Mormon site, the Historic Johnson Home. John Johnson, a church member and prosperous farmer, welcomed Joseph Smith into his home in 1831. It was there that Smith was said to have received many divine revelations. In the late 1880s, Amish visitors began migrating to Geauga County, eventually creating the world's fourth-largest Amish community, with a modern-day population of more than 10,000. Mennonites also settled in the area. Today, visitors to the area can learn about the Amish lifestyle and history by visiting a variety of home businesses, markets and historic sites. The Mansion and Modern HistoryRight before the Great Depression, a Detroit millionaire named Karl Long purchased the land that comprises Punderson State Park from Dr. Coopedge. On the edge of the lake, Long built a magnificent Tudor-style home with 29 rooms, including 14 bathrooms. His plan was to move his wife - who was unhappy in Detroit - and family to the rambling estate as soon as it was finished. Long never completed the home as he lost his fortune in the Great Depression. The property reverted back to the original owners, the W.B. Cleveland family, and eventually ended up in the hands of the State of Ohio. The State designated the 1,000-acre area surrounding Punderson Lake, including the boarded-up mansion, as an Ohio State Park in 1948. The State completed construction of the mansion in 1956 and opened it to guests for lodging and dining. Seeing a need for more guest rooms, the State added a wing with additional guest rooms and built 26 two-bedroom cabins. By the 1970s, the rambling resort had become a popular destination for day-trips and short vacations among Clevelanders looking for a rural getaway. *** Today Punderson Manor State Park Resort offers 31 rooms and 26 fully furnished two-bedroom housekeeping cabins. Punderson is truly a year-round destination with a wide range of recreational amenities including an 18-hole championship golf course that is recognized as one of the finest public courses in northeast Ohio. Other activities include swimming in indoor and outdoor pools, playing tennis and basketball, boating, fishing, hiking and jogging. The resort is particularly appealing during the winter with a hill specifically designed for sledding and tobogganing as well as trails for cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. To make reservations at Punderson Manor Resort & Conference Center, call 1-800-AT-A-PARK (1-800-282-7275) or visit www.pundersonmanorresort.com. For more information about the history of the area, visit www.DiscoverOhio.com www.tourgeauga.com, or www.geaugalink.com. ##### Xanterra Parks & Resorts (consisting of Xanterra Parks & Resorts, Inc. and Xanterra South Rim, L.L.C.) operates lodges, restaurants and other concessions at national parks and state parks and resorts. Xanterra Parks & Resorts is the country’s largest national park concessioner. Xanterra operates concessions in the following locations: Yellowstone, the North Rim of Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Zion, Crater Lake, Death Valley, Petrified Forest and Everglades national parks, and Mount Rushmore National Memorial; and at the Silverado Resort in Napa, Calif.; Gideon Putnam Resort and Spa in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. and eight Ohio State Parks. Its affiliate Xanterra South Rim, L.L. C. operates concessions at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Long committed to the preservation and protection of the environment, Ecologix, Xanterra Parks & Resorts’ environmental program, includes a variety of proactive environmental stewardship programs in each location. Xanterra has been repeatedly recognized for its environmental leadership in the hospitality industry and is the recipient of many honors, including major awards from the U.S. Department of the Interior, Environmental Protection Agency, Travel Industry Association, Colorado Department of Public Health, State of Arizona and Utah Department of Environmental Quality. For more information about Xanterra, links to individual properties and reservations numbers, visit: www.xanterra.com. Media Contact: |
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