Deep Lock Quarry Metro Park
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Deana Petersen
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Deana Petersen
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Deana Petersen
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Deana Petersen
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Deana Petersen
At 17 feet, Lock 28 is the deepest on the Ohio & Erie Canal. Located in Deep Lock Quarry Metro Park, the site also features the remains of a once-bustling Berea sandstone quarry, now reduced to towering steps. Mined rock created canal locks and millstones used by Akron’s Ferdinand Schumacher — a founder of what became Quaker Oats. Nature has retaken the quarry, its floor now covered by a swamp teeming with wetland plants. Walk the 1.4-mile Quarry Trail to catch glimpses of discarded millstones, carvings and foundations among buckeye trees. 5779 Riverview Road, Peninsula, 330-867-5511,
F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm
We have Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. co-founder F.A. Seiberling to thank, in part, for the Summit Metro Parks. Seiberling donated more than 400 acres to assist in the formation of what is now Sand Run Metro Park, helping to develop the county park district. He was also a member of the park board. His work was honored through the dedication of the F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm in 1966. Situated on land previously owned by Seiberling, the park has grown from a farm-like area — with a windmill and milk house — to an experiential public space. Enjoy a rock and herb garden, trails through a deciduous forest, a visitor center and more. 1828 Smith Road, Akron, 330-867-5511, summitmetroparks.org
Fort Laurens
Built in 1778, Fort Laurens was Ohio’s only Revolutionary War fort. Named for Henry Laurens, president of the Continental Congress, the fort saw the deaths of 21 soldiers before its abandonment in 1779. Though none of the structure remains above ground, its original outline can still be spotted. Pay your respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Patriot of the American Revolution and peruse an on-site museum — which includes artifacts excavated from the site, such as nails and flintlocks. Reflect on your visit by strolling the adjacent Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail. 11067 Fort Laurens Road NW, Bolivar, 330-874-2059,
Green Leaf Park
photo provided by Medina County Park District
After taking in the verdant foliage at Green Leaf Park, it might be difficult to picture its humble beginnings as a gravel pit. Today, it’s home to the Hard family’s beech, walnut, oak and maple log cabin home — one of the earliest structures of its kind in Medina County. Built in the 1800s, the 21-by-27-foot home housed a gaggle of children and was a venue for Methodist gatherings. View a native shade garden featuring bloodroot and witch hazel, fish the pond and hike a 0.85-mile trail encircling a thriving wetland. 1674 S. Medina Line Road, Sharon Center, 330-722-9364, medinacountyparks.com
Hale Farm & Village
Nancy Balluck
Explore 32 historical structures, such as an 1805 log cabin, an 1854 barn and an 1852 law office at Hale Farm & Village. Formerly the Jonathan Hale homestead, this 90-acre living history museum re-creates scenes of daily 19th-century life and holds special events like an annual Civil War reenactment Aug. 10 and 11. Immerse yourself with demonstrations by craftspeople, ranging from blacksmithing to glassblowing. Surrounded by costumed reenactors, heritage gardens and farm animals like a team of oxen, it’s easy to forget what time period you’re in. 2686 Oak Hill Road, Bath, 330-666-3711, whrs.org
Magnolia Flouring Mills
Homesteader Richard Elson built a flour mill in 1834, along the Sandy & Beaver Canal (a failed effort to connect the Ohio & Erie Canal and the Ohio River). The five-story building grew from a simple local mill into a nationally recognized producer of World’s Fair gold medal-winning flour. Now the structure, on the National Register of Historic Places, is the site of group tours. Join one to see the interior — including old machinery like water wheels, flour packers and rolling mills — or stop by to snap a photo of the red exterior, forever carrying on the Magnolia name. 261 Main St., Magnolia, 330-477-3552, starkparks.com