Slate Run Metro Park is a public park and nature preserve in Madison Township in

Pickaway County, Ohio Pickaway County is a county in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 58,539. Its county seat is Circleville. Its name derives from the Pekowi band of Shawnee Indians, who inhabited the area. (See List of Ohio county ...

. The park is managed by the

Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks The Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks are a group of 19 regional park, metropolitan parks in and around Columbus, Ohio. They are officially organized into the Columbus and Franklin County Metropolitan Park District. The Metro Parks system ...

in the Columbus metropolitan area. The park features numerous trails through grasslands, wetlands, forests, and meadows. The park's main water feature is Buzzard's Roost Lake, while nearby Slate Run Creek passes through the park. Amenities include picnic areas and shelters, boardwalks and fishing docks, and several sets of play equipment. South of Canal Winchester, this park's most notable feature is an 1880s era working historical farm staffed by volunteers. Visitors can see the 19th century farm life, interact with the farm animals, and learn about canning and meat preservation. Other parts of the park include extensive hiking trails and a restored wetland area.

Attributes and history

The Slate Run Living Historical Farm recreates the lifestyle of the farm on the site in the 1880s. The original farm, located in the Ohio countryside in northern Pickaway County, closed by the 1960s or 1970s due to the changing farm economy. The Metro Parks system acquired the farm and its 300 acres in the 1970s, including the farmhouse from 1856 and barn from 1881. The Metro Parks had the old farmhouse restored to how it would appear new, and opened the site to the public in 1981. The staff teach visitors (especially children) about Ohio's agricultural history, using tools, animal species, and practices from the 1880s. The staff dress in period clothing to keep the feel of the farm intact. Planting, growing, and harvesting is all done with methods from the 1800s, and the food is cooked on wood-burning stoves for staff meals. Running water comes from a pump nearby. The farm's house and barn were added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1975.

Gallery

File:Slate Run - Buzzard's Roost Lake 1.jpg, Buzzard's Roost Lake File:Slate Run Living Historical Farm 03.jpg, 1881 barn File:Slate Run Living Historical Farm 01.jpg, 1856 farmhouse File:Slate Run-Covered Bridge 1.jpg, Covered bridge File:Slate Run Metro Park 13.jpg, Horse-drawn farm equipment at Slate Run

References

External links

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Slate Run Living Historical Farm
{{Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks Parks in Ohio 1981 establishments in Ohio Buildings and structures completed in 1981 Parks established in the 1980s Protected areas established in 1981 Protected areas of Pickaway County, Ohio