Welcome to RecPlanet. Visit contest page for over $4000 in prizes. You can win a prize simply by voting (membership not required to vote). Search our database for info on thousands of parks. Blog for royalties, use "Contact Us" link for more information.
Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge
Welcome to Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge located on the shores of Cayuga Lake in central New York.
Refuge History: The lakes and wetlands of this region were created by glacial retreat at the end of the last ice age thousands of years ago. The Montezuma Marsh, once 12 miles long and 8 miles wide was one of the most productive swamps on the continent.
Some of the earliest human inhabitants of the region included members of the Algonquin and Cayuga tribes. Some of the written records from the Cayuga tribe indicated that the marsh was chock full with herds of deer and flocks of ducks and geese.
In 1806, a New York City physician, Dr. Peter Clark, took an interest in the region's sand deposits and was the person to name the place Montezuma Marsh. Clark built a 12 room house overlooking the marsh which he compared to the Aztec Emperor Montezuma's palace.
Throughout the early 19th century the Erie Canal and feeder canals were constructed while having minimal impact on Montezuma Marsh. The real threat did not come until the construction of the Cayuga-Seneca canal in 1910, lowering the waters of the Seneca River by up to ten feet.
In 1937, the Bureau of Biological Survey, what is now the Fish and Wildlife Service, purchased over 6,000 acres of the former marsh and Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge was established a year later in 1938. Throughout the 1930's and 1940's the Civilian Conservation Corps did a lot of work to restore the region's wetlands. They were very successful.
Wildlife: Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge helps protect the home of numerous wild critters including flying squirrels, beavers, foxes, coyotes, rabbits, mice, bats, raccoons, bald eagles, and many others. Please treat their home with respect.
For the lover of the outdoors Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge boasts many great boat adventures. Come on out and explore!
Location:
Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge
New York United States
42.977525, -76.765594