Strengthening the Point at the Confluence, 1925

It was June 25, 1963, when the photo below was published in the Crescent-News, as part of "The Backward Glance" series by Lloyd Tuttle.  The photo, itself, was taken in 1925, by Edward S. Bronson, who recorded much of the city's history through photography.

Tuttle wrote:

"In the early twenties, the waters of the Maumee and Auglaize Rivers, where they join in Defiance to run to Lake Erie, were fast washing away the earthen bank of Fort Defiance Park.

At one time, the point of the confluence extended out into the rivers much farther than now.  In fact, there was a wooden platform over the point at this tie, and it was about to collapse.

Then Sam Gruner, representative to the state legislature from Defiance county, came to the rescue.  He secured an appropriation from the state to construct a concrete restraining wall around the point, extending quite a distance back along each river.

It was a fine wall with iron lamp posts set in the concrete.  And for a spell, the point was lighted, affording a beautiful noctural view of the confluence from U. S. route 24.

The picture, taken by Edward S. Bronson in 1925, depicts the framework for the poured concrete during the early stages of construction. Later on the old cannon was moved from Monumental Park to the Fort Ground site, and a steel flag pole was erected. 

Well, how did Defiance appreciate this preservation of an historical site?

Several years ago, vandals shot out the light bulbs on the posts of the retaining wall.  They pulled over the steel flag pole and desecrated the flag of their country, and didn't call it an evening until they had knocked out the ornamental stones from the stairwell balustrade.  

Then when the interceptor sewer line was built, the wall was cut at the end of Fort Street to make a miniature Grand Canyon, and it was never properly replaced.

Repairs, including a new flag pole and retaining wall lights, are long overdue for Fort Defiance Park, where hundreds of visitors stop every weekend to enjoy the view down the river at the confluence of the Maumee and Auglaize.

The Indians used to call it 'Tuendowie'  It means 'where the rivers meet.' " 

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The Defiance Crescent News led off with this headline on page 1 on March 28, 1925:

The Ohio Legislature appropriated $20,000 for this project, proposed by Representative S. I. Gruner, who was from Defiance.  He felt the confluence and the site of Fort Defiance was one of the most historic sites in the area.

The plan was to build a structure 716 feet in length at a height equal to the high water line, reinforced with steel.  A galvanized pipe railing would finish off the project.

Photo from across the river.  An improved site at the confluence.