Once, the forests of western Ohio were so dense, a squirrel could travel by tree from the Ohio River to Lake Erie and never once touch the ground. In today’s urban landscape, it is hard to imagine those many miles of dark woods that once blanketed Hamilton County.
Mt. Airy Forest’s 1,471 acres of wooded ravines and hiking and bridle trails offer city residents a glimpse into that past, even in the midst of highways and urban sprawl. The Mt. Airy Forest Festival, Oct.8, celebrates the history of this park’s creation 100 years ago and its legacy as one of, if not the first, urban reforestation projects in the country.
In 1911, the Cincinnati Park Board established this park with the purchase of poorly managed farmland and began to reforest and enlarge it. The physical development of the park - its roads, trails, lodges, arboretum, stone walls and open shelters – was the work of the Depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and Works Progress Administration (WPA). For its rustic architecture, the rich history behind its construction and the early reforestation of an urban area, the park was recently listed as a historic site on the National Register of Historic Places.
Mt. Airy Forest Festival celebrates that designation with the installation of a National Park Service plaque. History interpreters and members of three history encampments will celebrate Cincinnati’s history, discuss the work of the CCC, the paths of the Underground Railroad through Hamilton County and Civil War stories. The day also features an annual Amazing Family Race, games for all ages and food vendors.
Do Good:
Attend:
Mt. Airy Forest Festival, October 8, 11 am-5 pm, Oak Ridge Lodge.
Learn: About the rich history of the Cincinnati Parks and what the parks offer residents today.
Volunteer:
Contact the Cincinnati Parks to discover many volunteer opportunities in the parks.
By
Becky Johnson
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