Mantua – Next time you’re out for a walk in Mantua, be sure to check out a new display that was installed near the kiosk at the Headwaters Trailhead on Main Street in Mantua (behind McDonalds). For those unfamiliar, this trailhead is part of the eight and a half mile limestone-paved trail, built on the former Cleveland-Mahoning Railroad line between Mantua and Garrettsville. As long-time residents are aware, the railroad operated as a passenger and freight line from Youngstown to Cleveland until the mid 1970s.
The tracks for this newly installed display came from a portion of the original rail line at Chamberlain and Treat Road in Mantua, and were delivered last April. In total, four 30-foot lengths of track, 10 railroad ties, along with spikes were reclaimed from that area and stored for reuse. According to local historian and avid trail user Tim Benner, “The display showcases a part of our history for those who may not be familiar with the area. It’s really a nice amenity to have at the trailhead.”
According to Benner, the Village of Mantua owns the trail property, which it leases to the Portage Park District. Both entities granted permission for the project, which was a collaboration between the Rotary Club and the DMRC. But the teamwork didn’t end there. The father/son team of Jeff and Broc Benner installed the tracks and ties; Larry Kotkowski from Lakeside Sand & Gravel provided $400 worth of materials and the use of a truck, while the folks at F & S Automotive also lent a hand to complete this latest project. According to Benner, in order to better fit the site, one of the 30-foot lengths of track was cut in half to recreate a portion of track that would have lined the former railway bed that has been repurposed into a trail. “Everyone pitched in to help,” Tim Benner acknowledged with gratitude.
Named the Headwaters Trail because of the area’s extensive wetlands, springs and headwaters streams, the trail offers a safe and scenic route for hikers, bikers, and horseback riders. “But it’s not just a nice trail,” Benner explained, “there’s some history there.” Historic stories of the railroad include a train robbery and great escape in Garrettsville, and a tragic boiler accident, these stories can be found on interpretive signs along the trail. The Trail also passes by farmland, forests, ravines, a State Nature Preserve along portions of the Upper Cuyahoga State Scenic River.
While out walking your dog, you may not realize that the Headwaters Trail is much more than just a scenic place to experience nature. It also crosses a continental watershed divide, delineating between the Mahoning River Watershed and the Cuyahoga River Watershed. Simply put, while a portion of local storm water drains to the Ohio River, to the Mississippi River and eventually into the Gulf of Mexico, the other portion drains to Lake Erie then out to the North Atlantic Ocean.
No matter what the weather, this local trail is open, with six parking areas conveniently located throughout, to let you experience history and nature, no matter the weather.
