Sand Ridge Golf Club - Geauga Park District

Sharon Conglomerate in
Geauga County
Shawn Cooper
Zak Kucera
Clay McMullen
October 2011
History
Sharon conglomerate, a prevalent rock formation, has a great effect on Geauga County through the
creation of springs, use for quarrying, and local tourism. Sharon Conglomerate, as the name suggests, is a
combination of two types of rock: sandstone and quartz. These rocks are most often seen in the form of
ledges (and throughout many Geauga County Parks). Sharon Conglomerate is formed when small stones
embed themselves within sandstone. This process takes thousands of years. The large house sized blocks
of Sharon Conglomerate are poorly supported by the soft shale underneath. Over time, as the shale
wears away, the Sharon Conglomerate slumps over into what is commonly referred to as “slump blocks.”
The majority of Sharon Conglomerate was formed during the Pennsylvanian age approximately 307-318
million years ago.
Sharon Conglomerate was utilized by Native Americans in several aspects of life. Much of the sand we
use in our daily endeavors is derived from Sharon Conglomerate outcroppings in Geauga County. Uses
include glass, roofing, sports turf, play-sand, pools, and even sand for golf courses.
Sharon Conglomerate was a valuable building material for a considerable period of time. From the mid
1800’s to early 1900’s, many constructions prominently featured Sharon Conglomerate in their designs.
Concrete eventually usurped Sharon Conglomerate as the favorite material for industrial projects, but
people quickly discovered that Sharon conglomerate was still a valuable resource because the silica
pebbles it contained made good gravel. These same pebbles also had a major impact on filtering the
greater Cleveland Area’s water supply well into the 1950’s.
Locations of Sharon Conglomerate
Based upon interviews and site visits, we have located the following outcropping
and caves of Sharon Conglomerate in Geauga County.
Best Sand
Chester Caves 1914
Chester Caves was a popular resort in the early 1900’s.Before any
parks were established in the area, rock ledges and natural lakes
like Little Mountain, Punderson Lake, Bass Lake, etc. were the
original tourist attractions. The arrival of the interurban railway in
1900 created the opportunity to develop Chester Caves into a
popular attraction to bring Clevelanders out to enjoy the rock
ledges, cave-like crevices, cold spring waters, etc.
A dance hall was also featured. The interurban’s Scotland Station
(Chester Twp.) was a short walk to the caves which are located
west of Caves Road, north of Mayfield Road. Like the other lakes
and ledges, it was a popular place for company picnics, family
outings, weddings and cotillions, political rallies, etc.
Chester Caves – early 1900s
Location of the
Chester Caves
(private property)
More photos of Chester Caves
Wolf’s Den in Munson
The Bass Lake community was established on the
west side of the lake in the early 20th century,
consisting primarily of summer cottages. There
was hotel in the community and workers hiked
into the ledges for respite. In the 1950s residents
began to build new and convert older cottages into
year-round residences. Today, the Geauga Park
District's Bass Lake Preserve allows the public to
enjoy the manmade lake and picnic shelter near
the old Wolf’s Den.
hotel workers at Bass Lake take a
break
Caves near the Rookery
On private property
adjoining the Geauga
Park District’s Rookery
Park is a spectacular
ridge of Sharon
Conglomerate. One of
the largest great blue
heron rookeries in the
county is located within
the park's preserve.
Sand Ridge
Golf Club
Like the area’s predecessors, current residents and area outdoor
enthusiasts use the aesthetic features of Sharon Conglomerate
to enhance their recreational opportunities. The Sand Ridge
Golf Club in Munson Township was created in 1992, when
Chairman of Fairmount Minerals and avid golfer William Conway
teamed up with world-renowned golf course architect Tom Fazio
to turn the 370 acres of woods, pastures and wetlands located
next to the Fairmount Minerals sandstone quarry in Chardon
into the golf course that exists today. In addition to featuring
views of the outcroppings and caves, large Sharon Conglomerate
boulders were moved to strategic locations on the course to
enhance the look of the holes.
Best Sand
Fairmount Minerals, headquartered in Munson Township, is one of the largest producers
of industrial sand in the United States. Best Sand Corporation, its subsidiary in Munson,
produces high quality sub-angular grain silica sand as well as silica gravels. Its large quarry
on Ravenna Road breaks down the Sharon Conglomerate to its constituent parts for many
uses, including sand for golf courses and water filtration equipment.
The Best Sand quarry provides
habitat for fish and birds, in
addition to large storage areas
for their materials.
Party in the Pit
For almost all of the year, the Best Sand quarry in Munson is a
locale off-limits to visitors. In order to satisfy resident curiosity,
the company has sponsored an open house. This photo from
the 2007 “Party in the Pit” drew thousands to ride trolleys and
play in the Sharon Conglomerate sand. Best Sand and its
parent, Fairmount Minerals, are known for their generosity to
the community.
2011 Party in the Pit
Trading on the success of their first “Party in
the Pit,” Best Sand repeated its open house
in 2011. This party featured tram rides
through the quarry, a band, free food and
community not-for-profit organizations
sharing information. Again, the public came
out in droves to see this rock formation up
close.
Warnings
Among the handouts at the Party in the Pit were warnings
about the dangers of mines, pictured below. While active
quarries can present dangers, abandoned quarries can also
present opportunities for reuse, as can be seen in the next
slide.
Walter C. Best Wildlife Preserve
Walter C. Best, founder of Best Sand Corporation, built a 30-acre lake in the 1960s
because of his interest in waterfowl. More than 100 kinds of birds have been sighted at
Best Preserve. After his death, his wife donated this preserve to the Geauga Park
District. It adjoins Best Sand’s quarry.
Rock Outcropping in Munson Township
If you ask residents about the distinctive geological
features of their township, many Munson residents will
point to the outcropping of Sharon Conglomerate on
Mayfield Road, just east of Rockhaven Road. This busy
street takes many drivers within a few feet of very steep
ledges.
Thompson Ledges
One popular destination for recreation in Geauga
County that prominently features Sharon
Conglomerate is Thompson’s Ledges, a township
park in Thompson. The springs that burst forth
from Thompson’s ledges are a vital source of water
for many of the county’s residents because Geauga
County does not have any geologically significant
rivers. Consequently, many people rely on these
smaller springs for their water. Another reason that
Thompson’s ledges is a popular destination is that it
has a very diverse ecosystem. It contains many
different types of forests. On top of the ledges is a
predominantly oak forest. Along the exposed cracks
and crevices is a northern Hemlock Forest which
attracts many species of birds uncommon to the
area.
West Woods
The West Woods is a 902-acre park in Russell that
contains the historic Sharon Conglomerate ledges and
Ansel’s Cave, Silver Creek and its watershed, extensive
wetlands and forests.
Ansel’s Cave
One of the main attractions at the West Woods is
Ansel’s Cave. It holds a surprising history. Once
used for munitions storage during the civil war
and rum-running during prohibition, the cave
now functions as a popular ambulatory
attraction, drawing eager sightseers in all seasons
of the year.
West Woods Ansel’s Ledges
West Woods Nature Center
The nature center at the West Woods provides an informational
center where people young and old can come to learn about the
environment. A Lego station provides children with the
opportunity to create their very own rock formations and the
adjacent display provides information on how Sharon
Conglomerate was formed. Visitors can even birdwatch from
indoors in the spacious overlook at the front of the nature
center.
Oak Hill Drive
In Chester Township, an outcropping and
caves on private property create a
recreational area for resident teens and
children.
Private
property in
Chardon
This residence installed a driveway along an
expansive Sharon Conglomerate outcropping
on either side of a ravine.
Welton Gorge
Sharon Conglomerate is found in
many locations within the
county. This property is in
Burton Township. The park will
be conducting a natural resource
inventory of plants and animals
within the new park. According
to GPD biologists, they have
already identified one important
inhabitant, the camel cricket, a
rare cricket that only lives in
sandstone ledges. This area is
not currently open to the public.
Library Children’s Program
At our local library, we held an event to educate elementary age
students about Sharon Conglomerate formations and followed it up
with an educational craft. The students learned about the
significance of Sharon Conglomerate as it pertains to everyday life
in Geauga County.
WGHS Spirit
Rock
Uses at WGHS
Sharon conglomerate plays an integral role in the life of West Geauga High School. Many of
the schools popular recreational spots prominently feature Sharon Conglomerate by
products. The rock garden in front of the main office has several large Sharon Conglomerate
boulders that have become a popular hangout spot. The floor of the garden is “lucky
stones,” the small quartz pebbles that are prominent in Sharon Conglomerate. Students
have made a tradition of painting the two ton Sharon Conglomerate boulder outside of the
gym entrance before each school event. The raingarden facing State Route 306 often draws
the attention of passers-by with our moniker inscribed in Sharon Conglomerate stones. The
base of the raingarden is 6,000 pounds of sand from Sharon Conglomerate. The “Roman
Garden” in the school courtyard contains small Sharon Conglomerate rocks used as
decoration and a sand/peat mix. Students often eat lunch in this area and spend down time
strolling and admiring the garden.
Sharon Conglomerate Garden at WGHS
Bibliography
Special thanks to the following individuals who were consulted:
Paul Pira, Geauga Park District
John Leech, Private Land Owner
Charles Fryer, Private Land Owner
Cristine Lewis, Fairmount Minerals Corporation
Matt Creech, Sand Ridge Golf Club
Tim Kearns, Munson Township
Many additional private land owners
Articles consulted:
Geauga Park District archives and website
US Department of Labor Mine Safety & Health Administration Handout
Ohio Division of Geological Survey, 2006, Bedrock Geological Map of Ohio: Ohio Department of Natural Resources,
Division of Geological Survey Map BG-1, Generalized Page- size version with text, 2p., scale 1:2,000,000.
Ohio Division of Geological Survey, 2005, Glacial Map of Ohio: Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of
Geological Survey, Page-size map with text, 2p., scale 1:2,000,000.
Ohio historical society historical markers application form submitted by Thompson township on behalf of the Thompson
ledges.
Ohio division of Geological survey, 1998, physiographic regions of Ohio: Ohio Department of Natural Resources, division
of geological survey, page-size map with text, 2p., scale 1:2,100,000
Special use permit, Geauga Park District
Information from Geauga County Engineer’s office, March 1993. Compiled by Don Zambory.
Photos provided by Tim Kearns, Munson Zoning Inspector: Munson Centennial, July 27, 1916
Informational brochure on Nelson Kennedy Ledge State Park.
The Formation of Caves in the Sharon Conglomerate in Geauga County, Ohio, written by Larry Lynch, Senior study project,
May 1974.