Tecumseh Lake occupies the site of the old XX mine, one of many mines that supported Shawnee's economy in the 19th and 20th centuries. When the lake was created in 1954, the railroad bed was turned into a berm-style dam. After the coal era ended, Pastor William Schuster and Father Michael Wellnitz worked together on a project to bring Shawnee's two religious communities together. The lake was intended to provide drinking water and recreation, like Glouster's Burr Oak Lake. It later became a place for fishing, kayaking, birding, and hiking. This reclamation transformed a devastated area into a destination through grassroots community effort and reflected the resilience of people adapting to a changing society. The Buckeye Trail and the co-located North Country Scenic Trail run along Tecumseh Lake. The area also sits above an underground mine and marks the headwaters of Monday Creek. Over the last 15 years, the Wayne National Forest and its partners have worked to restore the 75,000 acre Monday Creek Watershed. For nearly a century, aquatic life in the watershed had been virtually dead, but restoration brought 13 species of fish back to the 27 mile stream. In 2009, the Ohio EPA changed Monday Creek's designation from non-restorable to warm water habitat status. This recovery resulted from agencies sharing expertise, labor, and funding, together with support from communities along Monday Creek through volunteer efforts.