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January 17, 2006
OHIO STATE PARKS ARE RICH IN HISTORY
Many historic buildings open for visitor tours, group rentals and overnight stays
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CONSIDER A VISIT TO THESE HISTORIC DESTINATIONS IN OHIO STATE PARKS
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| Beaver Creek State Park (Columbiana County) |
| Located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains along the Little Beaver Creek State Scenic and Wild River, this state park offers many historic sites, including Gaston’s Mill, constructed in 1837; a pioneer village and several abandoned canal locks. |
| Deer Creek State Park (Fayette/Pickaway counties) |
| The Harding Cabin, a historic cottage once owned by President Warren G. Harding’s attorney general, overlooks Deer Creek Lake. The rustic one and one-half story cottage was built in 1918 and, rumor has it, was visited by former President Harding. Today, the cabin can be rented and sleeps seven to nine people. |
| Caesar Creek State Park (Clinton/Warren counties) |
| The Caesar Creek Pioneer Village features nearly a dozen Ohio-built log houses dating back to the late 1700s that have been moved to the site and reconstructed by volunteers. Visitors can tour the village daily at no charge. |
| Mohican State Park (Ashland/Richland counties) |
| The Cline Log House, originally built in the 1860s, was relocated from a nearby site for use as the park's nature center. It stands just inside the entrance to the main campground off State Route 3. |
| Tar Hollow State Park (Hocking/Ross counties) |
| The historic Log House once stood on a hilltop at nearby Great Seal State Park, but was moved and reconstructed for use as a general store in the Tar Hollow State Park campground. |
| Barkcamp State Park (Belmont County) |
| A log house and outbuildings built more than a century ago were moved and reconstructed near the park’s campground. A fine display of antique farm tools can be found here. A nearby barn’s advertising logo was painted by the late Harley Warrick, a local resident who became famous for his Mail Pouch Tobacco "artworks" that inspired Ohio Bicentennial barn logos that also dot the state’s landscape. |
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| Salt Fork State Park (Guernsey County) |
The Kennedy Stone House, constructed in 1837 by David B. Kennedy, is built of beautiful stone locally quarried and cut into 3-foot by 1-foot by 1-foot blocks. The home, recently restored by a group of park volunteers, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and can be visited throughout the year.
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| Marblehead Lighthouse State Park (Ottawa County) |
The on-site lighthouse keeper’s residence was built in the late 1800s. The home now houses a museum of the lighthouse and its history. Adjacent Marblehead Lighthouse is the Great Lakes’ oldest lighthouse in continuous operation, guiding vessels safely along the peninsula’s rocky shores since 1822.
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| Buck Creek State Park (Clark County) |
The Crabill House operated by the Clark County Historical Society is the restored home of one of the area's early settlers, David Crabill. Built in the early 1820s, the brick home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Tours are available.
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Enjoy these historic destinations by making a reservation to stay at an Ohio State Park. Reservations can be made at ohiodnr.com or by calling 1-800-AT-A-PARK for lodge stays or 1-866-OHIOPARKS for camping.
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COLUMBUS, OH - Tucked away within the seclusion of several Ohio State Parks, visitors can see some of our state’s rich history being preserved, including the residences of a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, a railroad tycoon, and of various early settlers.
Many of these historic gems remain open for visitor tours, while others can be rented for gatherings or overnight stays.
“There is so much to learn from these structures and the many great individuals who once inhabited them,” said Lynn Boydelatour, chief naturalist with Ohio State Parks. “Making an overnight trip to an Ohio State Park is the best way to take your time and soak in the history.”
Malabar Farm in Richland County was the dream of Pulitzer Prize-winning author and conservationist Louis Bromfield. Today, the house and working farm appear just as they did in Bromfield’s day, and are the centerpiece of Malabar Farm State Park. Outbuildings and pastures still support livestock, fields are planted in tidy rows, while 12 miles of scenic trails wind through the gently rolling countryside.
The 32-room Big House reflects a blend of architectural styles and was built to appear as if it had been added onto over the years. Guided tours of the mansion, preserved as Bromfield left it in 1956, are offered year-round for a modest fee. There are no overnight accommodations at the mansion.
The Pugh Cabin at Malabar Farm and nearby Malabar Inn also date back to Bromfield’s time. The cabin can be reserved for meetings, while the historic stagecoach inn offers home-cooked meals from May through October. For hours and other information, contact the park at 419-892-2784. For overnight accommodations, consider the dormitory-style hostel at the park, or the lodge, cottages and campground at nearby Mohican State Park. For hostel reservations call 419-892-2055.
The former Stewart family homestead is at the heart of today’s Quail Hollow State Park in Stark County. Among its previous occupants was Harry Bartlett Stewart, Jr., once the chairman of the board of the Akron, Canton and Youngstown Railroad.
Rolling meadows, marshes, diverse woodlands, and a 9,000 square-foot herb garden are accessible to visitors from several trails that surround the 40-room manor. Today the home is used primarily as a nature center and for educational programs. Tours of the home are offered on Sunday afternoons, June through October, or by appointment. The adjacent carriage house, as well as the library, kitchen and dining room can be rented for meetings.
The property, first settled in the early 1800s by Conrad Brumbaugh, was later acquired by the Stewarts in 1914 and further developed. A portion of the house dates back to the 1830s. The manor reflects Greek Revival and Federal architecture influences. For more information, call the park office at 330-877-1528. Visitors looking to stay overnight can consider the newly renovated campground at West Branch State Park in nearby Ravenna.
In the early 1800s, an enterprising young land agent settled in northeastern Ohio in a place that is today a state park bearing his name - Punderson State Park. Lemuel Punderson constructed a small dam on the south side of the property’s large natural lake and used the outflowing water to power a gristmill. In the early 1900s, work began on a Tudor-style manor but was never completed. In later years, the land and incomplete house were purchased and opened as a park. In the 1950s the manor was remodeled and became one of Ohio’s first state park lodges.
Today the unique style and atmosphere of the lodge continues to attract people to Punderson. The manor features 31 guest rooms, a dining room, meeting rooms, and outdoor and indoor swimming pools. Twenty-six rentable cottages and a large campground offer great views of the impressive manor. This 900-acre Geauga County park is open year-round and is popular for winter sports, including sledding, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. For more information, call the park at 440-564-2279.
Several other state parks offer snapshots of American history with well-preserved pioneer villages, gristmills, rustic cabins, log houses, and other historically significant structures. Many of the parks offer overnight accommodations of some sort, ranging from cozy cottages and lodge rooms to scenic campsites to make enjoying these historic destinations easier. Reservations for state park accommodations can be made at ohiodnr.com or by calling 1-800-AT-A-PARK for lodge stays or 1-866-OHIOPARKS for camping.
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