After the Miami and Shawnee Indians were defeated by General Anthony Wayne at the Battle of Fallen Timbers, settlement began in the Cowan Lake Region.

In 1797, the first settler in the area, William Smalley, began clearing land for his home along the river which was later dammed to form Cowan Lake.

Cowan Creek was named for the area's first surveyor, John Cowan. A dam was completed across Cowan Creek in 1950, and in 1968, Cowan Lake was dedicated as a state park.

Cowan Lake State Park is home to the American Lotus water lily. Swimming, fishing, sailing and canoeing are popular and numerous hiking trails are available through the park's 1,075 acres.

For more information about this park and other state parks in Ohio, visit www.ohiodnr.gov