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 Wingfoot Lake State Park - Suffield, Ohio
N 41° 01.300 W 081° 21.729
17T E 469552 N 4541225
Wingfoot Lake State Park is Ohio’s 74th state park. It opened in 2010 and contains 121 acres of land and sits next to a lake by the same name.
Waymark Code: WMCTD8
Location: Ohio, United States
Date Posted: 10/10/2011
Views: 4
The hilly, rolling terrain of southwest Portage County is underlain by thick deposits of sand and gravel, known as kames, that accumulated in ancient stream channels as the last glacier retreated more than 12,000 years ago. This area is close to the edge of the ice sheet’s advance, which has had a profound effect on the drainage system and the soil and mineral composition of the area, as well as the topography.
Having been maintained as a park setting for generations, the grounds of Wingfoot Lake are graced by groves of majestic mature trees with large crowns and abundant foliage. The habitat is ideal for small mammals, such as rabbits, skunks and opossum, as well as raptors including bald eagles, owls and hawks. The lake attracts herons and migratory waterfowl.
The state owns about 90 percent of the 444 acre lake. In addition, there is a 125 acre state wildlife area east of the state park Goodyear retains 128 acres on the lake's southern edge for its blimp operations and hangar.
Park Type: day use
Activities:
picnic, boating, fishing, hunting, walking paths, playground, disc golf, tennis, horseshoes, bocce ball, basketball, volleyball, badminton, miniature golf, sleding.
Background:
In 1916, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co, of Akron, purchased 720 acres in southwest Portage County to begin manufacturing of its own blimps. The 444-acre lake at the site, named Fritch Lake was renamed Wingfoot Lake in honor of Goodyear’s corporate logo. It provided the crucial water supply for the operation. A hangar was constructed on the south shore of the lake, along with workshops, a hydrogen plant and a landing field. Goodyear contracted with the U.S. Navy in 1917 to build nine blimps at the Wingfoot plant, which proved highly useful during World War I for reconnaissance missions. More than 600 military cadets received flight instruction and associated training at the Wingfoot Lake site during the war.
After World War II, the Goodyear blimp fleet was pressed into service for advertising and promotional campaigns, including telecasts of college football games. The north shore of Wingfoot Lake was developed for employee outings and corporate retreats in the 1960s. A number of recreational facilities were built, including large picnic shelters with fireplaces, ball diamonds, volleyball and bocce ball courts, paved courts for basketball and tennis, playgrounds and boating facilities. In the 1980s, attendance at Wingfoot Lake Park peaked with more than 100,000 Goodyear employees and their families visiting each year. In 2006, Goodyear closed Wingfoot Lake Park, saying it was not worth the cost to maintain and operate the site.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife purchased 690 acres of the Wingfoot Lake property in 2009, including Wingfoot Lake. Approximately 121 acres adjacent to the lake was transferred to the Division of Parks and Recreation in 2009 and added to the state park system.
Date Established?: 2010
Link to Park: [Web Link]
Park Fees: Not listed
Additional Entrance Points: Not Listed
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Visit Instructions:
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