Information is limited regarding the development of early industries along Lake Erie's northeastern shore of the Connecticut Western Reserve. With the opening of the Ohio Country, farmers and pioneer industrialists found the virgin land abundant with natural resources and ready to be exploited. Evidence derived from a rescue excavation of a stone structure at the outlet of the Cowles Creek together with documents established the presence of a lime burning industry. Early settlers found a plentiful wood supply located on the mainland which provided the necessary fuel for burning limestone mined on Cunningham (Kelleys) Island and permitted the construction of shops for use on Lake Erie. Some of the ships that were constructed locally were used to transport lime for the industry. The Sandusky Bay Islands eventually became a rich source of limestone for the expanding American consumer market.
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