• Image of bluebells in the spring

    Cuyahoga Valley

    National Park Ohio

There are park alerts in effect.
show Alerts »

  • Tick Alert

    Multiple tick exposures have been reported by visitors to the park. Please be aware that proper shoes, clothing, use of repellent spray, and checking the body for ticks following a visit to the park are the best way to prevent transmission of disease. More »

  • Canal Visitor Center Closure

    Canal Visitor Center will be closed for construction, starting Monday, May 6, 2013. It will reopen with new exhibits in early 2014.

  • Bald Eagle Closure in Effect

    RR tracks, and 30 foot right of way on either side, are closed to all foot traffic from the Rt. 82 Bridge at Station Rd, north to the RR tracks at. The Cuyahoga R. downstream of the Brecksville Dam to the Fitzwater Rd Bridge is closed to water activities.

Childhood Adventures

Young girl and cow.
Courtesy/Bath Township Historical Society
 
Helping out at Spicy Lamb Farm.

Helping out at The Spicy Lamb Farm.

NPS/Ted Toth

Imagine waking up to a rooster's crow, crawling from your bed, and entering a chilly barn to milk cows. As the sun rises higher, it's time to get dressed and walk to school. In the afternoon, your mother gives you extra chores: gathering eggs, churning butter, cleaning the barn, washing dishes, or other needed tasks. In the evening, you play horseshoes with your brothers and sisters before gathering around the dinner table to enjoy your mother's famous cooking.

Outside of these routines, children on the farm found exciting adventures in the surrounding landscape. Fields, hills, and streams transformed into imaginary lands that offered places to play and explore. Friends invented new games with ropes, hay, or whatever materials were available. Despite many responsibilities on the farm, children enjoyed their freedom, escaping outdoors to their favorite locations.

Click the links to learn about how children balanced Doing Chores, Going to School, and Having Fun. In Animal Stories, hear how valley residents lived, worked, and played with farm animals.

Did You Know?

Dragonfly image by NPS volunteer John Catalano.

Dragonflies and damselflies look almost alike while flying. However, if you wait until they land, dragonflies lay their wings to the side while damselflies lay them back and above their bodies.