Now we move to Indian Hills, a peaceful stretch of wooded land—but one with a truly remarkable past.
For longtime residents, this area was once simply known as Crane’s Woods. It was a beautiful, natural setting where people gathered for special events—like the Libbey-Owens-Ford Old-Timers picnics, where hundreds of employees and retirees came together, or the community’s VJ Day celebrations.
But in 1963, something unexpected changed how this land was understood forever. A group of Boy Scouts, digging in the woods, discovered Native American arrowheads. That discovery sparked an archaeological investigation by the University of Toledo—and what they uncovered was extraordinary.
Long before Rossford existed, and even before the glass industry arrived, this land was home to a thriving Native American village. Canoes once traveled through nearby creeks, the Great Black Swamp, and the Maumee River. Trade was active, and the village itself was protected by palisaded walls. At its peak, around 1,000 people lived here—raising families, building a community, and laying down deep roots.
Archaeologists uncovered four burial pits containing the remains of more than 100 Native Americans, offering a powerful and humbling glimpse into the lives that were lived here.
At first, the excavation was simply an interesting discovery. But over time, further research revealed its true significance. This site is now recognized as one of the largest—and possibly one of the last—Native American villages in the region before European contact in the early 1600s.
What began with a few arrowheads found by curious young scouts ultimately helped reshape our understanding of Native American and early American history in this area.
Today, the site—where Indian Hills Elementary School once stood—is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, preserving its legacy for generations to come.
