When Was That? Key Dates in Making Cuyahoga Valley National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

Three women and five men line up before a historic red building, holding dirt in shovels above the snow. — Officials pose at the groundbreaking for Boston Mill Visitor Center, 2018.
NPS / Ted Toth

The older you get, the harder it can be to remember the details. In honor of our 50th anniversary in 2025, we started compiling these handy lists of when things happened. Our urban park was complicated to make. Many people were involved: community members, partner organizations, volunteers, politicians, contractors, artists, educators, students, and staff. Explore each section to learn when things started and when milestones were reached.

Our research is ongoing. Perhaps you can help fill in missing details. If so, email us.

Groups of eight African American girls eat at round, wooden tables in a large, brick dining hall. — Camp Mueller dining hall, 1946.
University of Akron / Horace and Evelyn Stewart Collection

The First Spaces for Recreation

Establishing the Cleveland Metropolitan Park District

June 25, 1915 – The Cuyahoga County Parks Commission Board approves a countywide park plan for Greater Cleveland.
March 6, 1917 – The Ohio General Assembly passes a bill allowing municipalities to organize park districts.
June 30, 1917 – The Board of Trustees petitions the Probate Judge of Cuyahoga County for the creation of the Cleveland Metropolitan Park District.
July 23, 1917 – Cleveland Metropolitan Park District is established.

Building Brecksville and Bedford Reservations

1919 – A park master plan for Cuyahoga County, based on an outline developed by the Olmsted Brothers, identifies key Cuyahoga Valley areas for preservation and develops Cleveland’s “Emerald Necklace.”
1920 – Cleveland Metroparks begins buying land along Chippewa Creek for Brecksville Reservation. When Harriet Louise Keeler dies in 1921, mourners of this beloved “Teacher-Author-Citizen” rally to preserve over 300 acres of parkland there in her honor.
1922 – Cleveland Metroparks starts purchasing land along Tinkers Creek for Bedford Reservation.
1925 – The original Harriet Keeler Memorial was created in Brecksville Reservation.
1928 – The Harriet Keeler Shelterhouse is added in the Harriet Keeler Memorial Woods.
June 1929 – The Women’s City Club of Cleveland establishes the Harriet Keeler Nature Trail, the first in Cuyahoga Valley. Cleveland Museum of Natural History blaze and maintain this one-mile educational trail.
1939 – The Works Progress Administration (WPA) completes the Brecksville Nature Center.
1961 – The first plans come out to dam Tinkers Creek at Dunham Road to create Lake Shawnee. By 1968, these plans are dead due to public opposition.
1967 – Tinkers Creek Gorge is designated a National Natural Landmark.
1969 – Brecksville Nature Center becomes a year-round facility, not just a summer one.
1981 – The first plantings begin for a tallgrass prairie at Harriet Keeler Woods in Brecksville.
2002 – Viaduct Park in Bedford Reservation opens.

Establishing the Akron Metropolitan Park District

August 27, 1921 – The Trustees of Boston Township authorize their clerk to make an application to the Probate Court of Summit County for the creation of the Akron Metropolitan Park District (AMPD), now Summit Metro Parks.
December 31, 1921 – The Summit County Probate Judge approves the AMPD.
October 5, 1925 – The Olmsted Brothers report to AMPD describes the recreational potential of Cuyahoga Valley. It recommends that Akron and Cleveland work together to preserve its scenic beauty.

Acquiring Land for Virginia Kendall, Furnace Run, O’Neil Woods, and Hampton Hills

November 19, 1928 – Industrialist Hayward Kendall dies. His will bequeaths 500 acres for parkland. On April 19, 1929, the Emmons-Laybourne Bill passes Ohio Legislature, which allows the acceptance of the land to be made into park lands. The property is to be named for his mother, Virginia.
October 1, 1929 – Dorothy Hamilton Brush donates 280 acres in Richfield in honor of husband, Charles Brush, Jr. This becomes Furnace Run Metro Park in 1930.
1933 – Virginia Kendall Park is established.
April 1934 – Cleveland Quarries Company deeds 41 acres in Peninsula, but quarry operations continue.
1940 – The Ohio General Assembly appropriates $75,000 to purchase 800 acres to expand Virginia Kendall State Park.
1964 – Deep Lock Quarry Metro Park opens.
1966 – The Adam family donates the 167-acre Top O’ the World property to create Hampton Hills Metro Park.
1972 – The heirs of William O’Neil, founder of General Tire & Rubber Company, donate their 242-acre family farm, after a two-year lease. This becomes O’Neil Woods Metro Park.
1972 – The park district cuts the ribbon on the Bike & Hike Trail. It is one of the first rails-to-trails projects in Ohio.

Developing Virginia Kendall Park

Spring or summer, 1933 – Akron Metropolitan Park District begins managing Virginia Kendall Park for the state of Ohio.
August 7, 1933 – Harold S. Wagner, director of AMPD, files for a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp at Virginia Kendall Park.
December 10, 1933 – The first CCC camp under the direction of AMPD rolls into Peninsula.
March 31, 1934 – Plans for the Kendall Lake Dam are approved. The lake will be finished by early summer, 1935.
April 1, 1934 – CCC starts building Ledges Shelter.
1935–1980 – Twin toboggan chutes operate at Kendall Lake in winter.
March 31, 1936 – CCC finishes Ledges Shelter.
April 10, 1936 – CCC begins construction on Kendall Lake Shelter.
Summer 1938 – Work begins on Happy Days Camp, today’s Happy Days Lodge. Happy Days Camp opens in June of 1940.
October 30, 1938 – CCC completes Octagon Shelter.
March 25, 1942 – All CCC work within AMPD stops. All CCC camps in the country close March 31, as the US enters World War II.
June 10, 1942 – The Brushwood area of Furnace Run Metro Park is dedicated.
1964 – Two Virginia Kendall trails are included in the first Fall Hiking Spree, now the longest-running event of its kind in the US.
January 1, 1978 – The State of Ohio transfers Virginia Kendall State Park from Akron Metropolitan Park District management to Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area (CVNRA) ownership.
January 2, 1997 – Virginia Kendall State Park Historic District is entered into the National Register.

First page of a newspaper article with title, "The Belfry Battle of Peninsula" features photos of a historic white church, a seated young woman, and a suited man wearing glasses. — A Cleveland Plain Dealer article describes the “Belfry Battle of Peninsula” and shows photos of Lily Fleder and Robert Hunker.
Peninsula Library & Historical Society / Lily Fleder Collection

From Saving a Village to Saving a Valley

The Original Cuyahoga Valley Association

1940 – The first Cuyahoga Valley Association forms. Its purpose is “to restore, preserve and develop the natural resources of the Cuyahoga Valley and the territory of its watershed for the benefit of all the people.”

The Fight for Bronson Memorial Church

1956 – The Bronson Memorial Church closes and falls into disrepair.
January 6, 1960 – The Bishop of Ohio writes back to Lily Fleder. Her restoration committee of concerned Peninsula residents wants to save Bronson Memorial Church. The bishop grants permission. Within a year, the relationship has become rocky as Western Reserve Historical Society becomes interested in moving the church to what will become Hale Farm & Village.
1969 – Peninsula wins the battle. A restored Bronson Memorial Church reopens for its first service.

Forming Peninsula Valley Heritage Association

1960 – Initially, plans for I-271 construction route the highway through downtown Peninsula. The village rallies in opposition.
March 1962 – Designer Robert Hunker discovers Peninsula and Lily Fleder recruits him to help preserve its historic buildings.
April 16–17, 1962 – Lily Fleder is part of a delegation from Peninsula and Hudson that go to Washington to advocate for their historic downtowns to become national historic sites.
June 16–17, 1962 – Peninsula and Hudson host a visit from Helen Bullock of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. At a dinner party in her honor at Hunker’s home, the guests decide to form Peninsula Valley Heritage Association (PVHA) and Hudson Historical Association.
July 4, 1962 – PVHA officially forms to protect the historic character of Peninsula and the integrity of the surrounding landscape.
November 2, 1962 – PVHA holds its first general meeting. Initial membership is about 130.
1963 – Lily Fleder uses her children as human shields to stop contractors from demolishing the historic Wood Store, now the Riverlight Gallery.
1963 – The restored G.A.R. Hall hosts its first event. Deep Lock Quarry becomes “an open air museum.”
1968 – In response to citizen action, I-271 is constructed to the north of Peninsula, avoiding downtown.
1971 – Boston Depot is moved, restored, and renamed as Peninsula Depot.
April 23, 1973 – Jonathan Hale Homestead is entered into the National Register.
August 23, 1974 – Peninsula Village Historic District is added to the National Register. (More than thirty years later this historic district is expanded.)
September 9, 1974 – Ohio and Erie Canal Deep Lock is entered into the National Register.

A New Funding Source

February 14, 1963 – President Kennedy proposes legislation to establish the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to support parkland acquisition. Congress passes it in 1964. LWCF money primarily comes from offshore oil and gas leasing. Later, this fund provides money for land purchases in Cuyahoga Valley.

Officials Tour Cuyahoga Valley

February 23, 1966 – Department of the Interior Secretary Stewart Udall visits Cuyahoga Valley with Congressmen Charles Vanik and Ralph Regula and with officials from Cleveland Metroparks and Akron Metropolitan Park District. Secretary Udall is impressed and relates President Lyndon Johnson’s emphasis on establishing new parks “where the people are – near urban areas.”
June 30, 1966 – Congressman Vanik tours Cuyahoga Valley with National Park Service planners Andrew Feil and Robert Lobdell. Both see the potential for a national park, saying: “The entire valley . . . is beautiful, a terrific area that should be preserved.”
June 10, 1968 – The first public hearing of the Rosenstock Study is held at the G.A.R. Hall in Peninsula. It assesses the recreational feasibility of a park in the Cuyahoga Valley. Many supporters are present, but the opponents are louder, claiming “You are stealing our land."

A Local Coalition Forms

March 13, 1970 – George Watkins of the Lake Erie Watershed Conservation Foundation orchestrates a meeting between Cleveland Metroparks, Akron Metropolitan Park District, and other groups. This results in an agreement to preserve the valley as parkland.

A New “Parks to the People” Federal Policy

1964 – The Secretary of the Interior, Stewart Udall, and the new National Park Service (NPS)’s Director, George Hartzog, Jr., launch the “Parks to the People” campaign to improve connections between national parks and urban communities, and make NPS more relevant. This “Parks to the People” theme echoes throughout the Civil Rights era.
June 18, 1969 – At the start of his term, new Secretary of the Interior, Walter Hickel, writes a memo to the NPS Director saying “we must bring PARKS TO PEOPLE.” Hickel instructs the NPS to initiate “a study of what opportunities exist for an expanded program of Federal acquisition and Federally-assisted-acquisition of park and recreational lands in the large urban centers of our Nation.”
February 25, 1971 – In a national radio address, President Nixon promises to ". . . bring parks to where the people are so everyone has access to nearby recreation areas."
August 18, 1971 – President Nixon launches his Legacy of the Parks program to implement the Parks to People policy.

The First House Bill Fails

April 22, 1971 – Congressman John F. Seiberling introduces the “Ohio Canal and Cuyahoga Valley Recreation Development Act” (H.R. 7673). It promises no land purchase without owner consent and relies on scenic easements. The bill fails to pass.

A New Report and Rising Public Support

August 23, 1971 – The “Cuyahoga Valley River Project: Reconnaissance Report” by Edward Peetz and Theodore McCann is published. It recommends the “Cuyahoga Valley [as] a crucial and needed addition to the Federal Parks and is in keeping with this Administration’s program of bringing parks to the people.”
November 29, 1971 – At a special board meeting, the Peninsula Valley Heritage Association (PVHA) board approves changes to its bylaws. It broadens its focus to become Cuyahoga Valley Association (CVA).
April 23, 1972 – CVA conducts its first public relations bus tour. Four busses spend three hours visiting the “beauties and blots” of the valley. More will follow.

The Second Bill Leads to Hearings

April 16, 1973 – Congressman John Seiberling introduces House Bill 7077 to create “Cuyahoga Valley National Historical Park and Recreation Area.” This bill promises easements, not outright land taking, to ease local residents’ concerns about losing their land.
July 11, 1973 – NPS Director Ron Walker tells park planners McCann and Peetz, “This [Cuyahoga Valley] will be a park over my dead body!”
March 1, 1974 – The first House Subcommittee meeting on H.R. 7077 is held in Washington, DC. Public testimony begins.
April 8, 1974 – The first Senate Subcommittee meeting on National Parks and Recreation is held in Peninsula, Ohio. While there was opposition to the idea of a national recreation area, the majority testify in favor of an NPS unit.
June 7–8, 1974 – The House Subcommittee hosts a whirlwind tour of the Cuyahoga Valley and ends with a field hearing at Blossom Music Center on the feasibility of CVNRA. More testimony is received. John Seiberling recalls that the Congressmen were impressed and “the valley had sold itself.”
September 30, 1974 – The House Subcommittee marks up bill H.R. 7077. The name is changed to Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area. The size is increased by 2000 acres. The protection of homeowners against imminent domain is dropped.
December 13, 1974 – The Senate passes H.R. 7070. The next day Senator Taft writes to President Gerald Ford to recommend it, requesting a personal call if he wishes to veto it.

Fateful Phone Calls

December 24, 1974 – President Gerald R. Ford receives a briefing memo recommending that he veto the bill to create CVNRA. The veto is drafted. It concludes by saying “. . . I do not believe that the Cuyahoga River Valley qualifies as a National Recreation Area. The present combination of Federal assistance and State and local government efforts will strike the appropriate balance for recreational development of the valley.”
December 27, 1974 – Senator Robert Taft, Jr. (R-Ohio) and Senator Howard Metzenbaum (D-Ohio) both call President Gerald Ford, who is on a ski vacation, to advocate for the bill and warn that he will lose Ohio in the upcoming 1976 election if he doesn’t sign the bill!
December 27, 1974 – President Gerald Ford signs Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area into being. The press release goes out from Vail, Colorado the following day.

Cuyahoga Valley Joins the National Park Service

June 26, 1975 – Secretary of the Interior Rogers Morton establishes Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area, now Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

Front cover of a newsprint publication with text, "PBS Frontline 'For the Good of All'" in a green graphic that looks like a TV screen; toward the bottom, text includes, "Transcript Reprinted from CONGRESSIONAL RECORD." — A transcript of “For the Good of All,” a 1983 PBS Frontline documentary that was critical of park land acquisition.
Peninsula Library & Historical Society / Lily Fleder Collection

First Steps and Stumbles in Creating the National Park

Drafting a General Management Plan

March 31, 1975 – The National Park Service holds the first public meeting to give input on a General Management Plan for CVNRA. Five more are held until April 5, with 700 people attending.
Summer 1975 – The first draft of the General Management Plan is released for public comment. It calls for closing the river to recreational use; the use of term, life estate, and scenic easements in acquiring property; the removal of non-essential roads; and working with agencies to get public transportation to the park. The focus is on the north where development is a greater threat.
January 27, 1977 – Superintendent Bill Birdsell signs the first CVNRA General Management Plan.

The First Phase of Acquiring Land

1975 – The Cuyahoga Valley Communities Council forms. The first Advisory Commission begins its five-year term.
June 26, 1975 – The National Park Service enters an agreement with the US Army Corps of Engineers to conduct CVNRA’s land acquisition.
October 21, 1976 – The first boundary adjustment adds 908 acres to the park.

Controversy Mounts Over Land Acquisition

1975 – The Cuyahoga Valley Homeowners and Residents Association forms in response to NPS land buying.
March 8, 1977 – The Cuyahoga Valley Homeowners and Residents Association holds its first public meeting.
July 1, 1977 – NPS resumes control of the land acquisition program. This was a response to complaints about how the Army Corps of Engineers had relied solely on a “fee simple” approach and not on easement options.
January 1, 1978 – Ohio turns Virginia Kendall State Park over to the NPS.
November 10, 1978 – The second boundary adjustment to Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area (CVNRA) adds 2,300 acres.
August 28, 1979 – Trust for Public Land efforts lead to the park’s purchase of the Frazee House from the Ohio Conservation Foundation for $143,000.
December 16, 1979 – NBC reporter Jessica Savitch lambasts NPS land acquisition on Prime Time Sunday, focusing on CVNRA.
August 18, 1980 – Superintendent Bill Birdsell dies from a heart attack.
November 2, 1980 – Superintendent Lew Albert arrives at CVNRA.
March 6, 1981 – Superintendent Lew Albert makes his first community appearance at a Cuyahoga Valley Association luncheon. He promises a softer approach.
April 23, 1981 – CVNRA appears on a Department of the Interior “hit list” of areas to be deauthorized from the National Park System.
June 6, 1983 – A Frontline documentary, “For the Good of All,” about CVNRA land acquisition airs on public television. This is a short version of “For All People, For All Time” by Mark and Dan Jury.

Administrative Changes

June 22, 1984 – The Local 2062 union is formed.
April 11, 1988 – Superintendent John Debo, Jr. replaces departing Lew Albert.

Black and white photo of nine people, most wearing shirts and ties, walking on a trail beside a canal with an arched bridge high in the background. — Cleveland Metroparks opens the first 2.5-mile section of trail along the towpath in Brecksville, 1975.
NPS / William A. Ashbolt, Plain Dealer

Connecting the Train, Canal, and Trails

Canal History

July 4, 1825 – A groundbreaking ceremony is held for the Ohio & Erie Canal.
July 3–4, 1827 – The first boat leaves Akron on July 3 and arrives in Cleveland on Independence Day, travelling a newly opened section of the Ohio & Erie Canal.
March 23–27, 1913 – The Great Flood of 1913 causes widespread damage, and the canal is eventually abandoned.

Additions to the National Register of Historic Places

November 13, 1966 – The section of Ohio & Erie Canal in Valley View is designated as a National Historic Landmark.
October 2, 1973 – Congressman Ralph Regula introduces House Resolution 10650. This authorizes $40,000 for an NPS feasibility study of how to preserve the Ohio & Erie Canal from Cleveland to Portsmouth.
October 26, 1974 – An NPS Denver Service Center team arrives in Cuyahoga Valley to begin the feasibility study. The canal has deteriorated too far to be preserved in its length, but they recommend four sections for the National Register. They also recommend that the Valley View section be extended south into the Pinery Narrows to include the intake from the Cuyahoga River.
June 27, 1979 – The canal structures documented by Carol Poh Miller are added to the National Register. These include locks 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, and 38 as well as the Furnace Run Aqueduct.
September 30, 1983 – The Ohio & Erie Canal is entered into the National Register.

More Canal Research and Archeology

1980 – The NPS Denver Service Center initiates two Historic Structure Reports: the Ohio & Erie Canal and the Lock Tender’s House.
1981 – Extensive archeological work is done around the Lock Tender’s House, today’s Canal Exploration Center.
1983 – Archeologists return to the Lock Tender’s House in response to a collapsed wall. They discover previously unknown brick walls and damage from previous rehabilitation work.
August 1984 – Harlan Unrau and Nick Scrattish submit the Historic Structure Report for the Ohio & Erie Canal.

NPS Gains Canal Lands

July 20, 1988 – NPS begins its 15-year lease of the Ohio & Erie Canal, after signing an agreement almost 2 years earlier. This allows the NPS to begin development of a recreation trail along the Ohio & Erie Canal.
December 16, 1989 - The state of Ohio officially transfers Ohio & Erie Canal lands within CVNRA to NPS.

Creating the Ohio & Erie Canalway

1985 – Ohio Canal Corridor is founded to champion Ohio & Erie Canal preservation in Cuyahoga County.
1989 – Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition is established to advocate for Ohio & Erie Canal preservation in Summit, Stark, and Tuscarawas counties.
June 26, 1995 – The US Secretary of Transportation designates the Ohio & Erie Canalway America’s Byway.
1996 – Congress passes a bill to designate the 101-mile Ohio & Erie Canalway as a National Heritage Area. The national park lies within the northern portion.

Replacing Tinkers Creek Aqueduct

2000 – The park determines that the historic Tinkers Creek Aqueduct is beyond repair and is closed. A Towpath Trail detour is set up along Canal Road. This last until a pedestrian bridge is installed in 2007.
August 3, 2007 – The Tinkers Creek Aqueduct, built in 1905, reopens. This is the first of two phases to ultimately replace the historic canal bridge.
July 23, 2010 – The park awards a $1.8 million contract to replace the Tinkers Creek Aqueduct and restore the flow of water in the most historic section of the Ohio & Erie Canal.

Building the First Section

July 31, 1975 – Cleveland Metroparks dedicates a 2.5-mile hiking and bridle trail along the canal towpath from Station Road Bridge to Valley View.
March 1981 – The first Transportation Study is completed. Among its recommendations is the construction of a multi-purpose Towpath Trail the length of CVNRA. Superintendent Lew Albert rejects this study, owing to public outcry.
April 1990 – The park holds a groundbreaking ceremony for the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail.
October 15–17, 1993 – The park hosts the grand opening of the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail. There are activities throughout the first 19.5 miles in Cuyahoga Valley.

Supporting the Towpath

1996 – The Towpath Tag program is introduced to support Towpath Trail maintenance and interpretation. A new collectible design is available each year for a donation.
July 21, 2003 – Flooding caused by heavy rains damages both the Towpath Trail and the CVSR tracks. Later that fall, the park begins a “Restore the Towpath” fundraising campaign.
2015 – The final year of the Towpath Tag program.
2024 – The Conservancy receives a $3.8 million estate gift from the late James H. Hower, designated for the maintenance and improvement of the Towpath Trail.

Major Maintenance Projects

March 6, 2017 – The Towpath Trail section north of Canal Exploration Center closes for three months. Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District performs major riverbank stabilization work.
December 11, 2017 – Work begins to replace four steel pedestrian bridges on the Towpath Trail from Boston Store to Hunt House. Later, they encounter an original Ohio & Erie Canal stone culvert near Deep Lock Quarry and must re-engineer one bridge around it. This last section reopens March 21, 2019.
February 10, 2020 – Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District begins dredging the Ohio & Erie Canal between Station Road Bridge Trailhead and Frazee House. This project helps maintain the canal’s historic character and restore the water flow.
September 27, 2022 – The park receives about $14 million through the Great American Outdoors Act to stabilize eight sites along the Cuyahoga River. The riverbank improvements protect the Towpath Trail and railroad infrastructure.

Towpath Safety

June 5, 2010 – The park and its Canalway partners launch Safe Is Sound, a new Towpath Trail safety campaign.
June 26, 2020 – Following two public comment periods, the park finalizes its regulation of electric bicycle (e-bike) use. This includes a 15-mph speed limit for the Towpath Trail.

Planning and Maintenance

November 14, 1984 – The trails committee that had major input on developing the CVNRA Trail Plan reforms as the Cuyahoga Valley Trails Council.
1985 – The CVNRA Trail Plan is published. It recommends a Towpath Trail the length of the park with connections to nearby metropolitan parks.
September 13, 2003 – Adopt-a-Trail conducts its first annual training workshop on National Public Lands Day.
September 9, 2008 – The Conservancy receives the first gift from the Estate of Phyllis E. Walker, a retired educator and park volunteer. The total donation grows to over $350,000 in 2012. This and a 2008 donation from Western Reserve Trail Running become seed money for the TRAILS FOREVER Legacy Fund.
February and September 2010 – CVNP holds public meetings to get input on its draft Trail Management Plan.
June 19, 2010 – The Conservancy holds the first Topography fundraising event to kick off the TRAILS FOREVER Legacy Fund, a new endowment to support park trails.
December 17, 2013 – After receiving more public input during the summer, the park finalizes the Trail Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement. This identifies new trail opportunities and adopts updated sustainable trail guidelines.

Horse Trails

June 29, 1978 – The Valley Trail is designated as a National Recreation Trail. This early section follows the canal towpath from Frazee House to Canal Road.
June 12, 1988 – Wetmore Bridle Trail System is dedicated.
July 24, 2003 – A major flood causes damage throughout the park. By August 16, the Towpath Trail reopens, but 12 other trails stay closed and CVSR service remains cancelled. The Kendall Lake Shelter and nearby trails reopen November 21. A May 22, 2004 flood creates more setbacks. Wetmore area trails take years to repair.
November 16, 2009 – Medina County Ohio Horseman’s Council makes a $17,500 contribution in support of the TRAILS FOREVER program. The funds are earmarked to repair the equestrian trails damaged in the 2003 flood. The council raised money by producing a calendar featuring horses and women riders in naturalistic settings. Requests came from 48 states.
November 10, 2014 – The Tabletop Trail, a 0.7-mile part of the Wetmore Trail system, reopens after being closed since 2003 due to heavy flood damage. This was a donor-supported TRAILS FOREVER project.

Oak Hill and Everett Area

1983 – Oak Hill Day Use Area opens to the public.
December 1, 2014 – The park announces the upcoming opening of a new 0.7-mile section of the Furnace Run Trail, near Everett Covered Bridge. The project was supported by Cuyahoga Valley Trails Council as a part of the Conservancy’s TRAILS FOREVER initiative.

Brandywine Falls Area

1989 – Brandywine Falls Day Use Area is built, with boardwalks and two observation platforms. The construction wins an award from the American Society of Landscape Architects.
1990 – Brandywine Falls Day Use Area opens to the public.
November 1, 2009 – Park staff and Cuyahoga Valley Trails Council volunteers dedicate a new Brandywine Gorge Trail Bridge across Brandywine Creek, replacing a stepping-stone crossing.
May 24, 2011 – The Brandywine Falls parking lot closes for about five months as Summit Metro Parks and CVNP triple its size. Summit Metro Parks also reroutes a one-mile section of the Bike & Hike Trail, so it no longer shares Brandywine Road with vehicular traffic.
July 3, 2014 – High water forces the closure of the fiberglass Brandywine Gorge Trail Bridge.
July 29, 2016 – The Brandywine Gorge Trail footbridge repairs are completed. The $86,000 project fixes damage caused by a previous flood and improves the design.
November 17, 2022 – The park cuts a toilet-paper ribbon at Brandywine Falls, completing a $1.6 million project to upgrade the restrooms to be wheelchair accessible and provide running water.

Old Carriage Trail

December 14, 2009 – CVNP closes three scenic footbridges, 150 to 160 feet long, on the Old Carriage Trail due to unsafe conditions.
March 1, 2018 – The park awards a $1.3 million contract to reroute and restore the 3.5-mile Old Carriage Trail.
March 6, 2024 – The Old Carriage Trail project is completed with the installation of a new footbridge.

East Rim Trails

January 6, 2005 – The International Mountain Bicycling Association and the National Park Service announce a pilot project to explore the feasibility of developing mountain biking trails in Cuyahoga Valley.
November 2, 2015 – The park opens the first 2.3-mile section of the East Rim mountain bike trail system, the first of its kind across the National Park System.
June 14, 2018 – The Cleveland Area Mountain Bike Association (CAMBA) receives a $15,000 grant from REI to complete work on the Edson Run and Lamb Loop trails in the East Rim system.

Blue Hen Falls Area

May 24, 2021 – The Buckeye Trail section around Blue Hen Falls closes as Summit County repairs Boston Mills Road and the park builds a new staircase up the valley wall. With the installation of a new footbridge, work is completed in May 2022.

Hemlock Creek Trail

June 2, 2019 – More than 80 officials and other supporters gather on National Trails Day for the groundbreaking of the 1.7-mile Hemlock Creek Trail in northern Cuyahoga Valley. West Creek Conservancy played a key role in the project’s 14 years of planning.
September 14, 2019 – The park participates in the Hemlock Creek Trail ribbon cutting. The new trail, managed by the City of Independence, provides western access to the Towpath Trail near Stone Road.

Valley Railroad History

August 21, 1871 – Valley Railroad Company is incorporated to run trains from Cleveland to Akron, Middlebury, and Canton. A financial crisis delays construction.
January 28, 1880 – The first Cuyahoga Valley Line train leaves Cleveland for Canton.
February 2, 1880 – Regular passenger train service begins on the Cuyahoga Valley Line.
October 5, 1895 – Cuyahoga Valley Line is re-incorporated as Cuyahoga, Terminal and Valley Railway.
February 11, 1905 – Baltimore & Ohio (B & O) integrates the Cuyahoga, Terminal and Valley Railway into its system when it becomes the majority stockholder. The valley railroad is completed integrated into the B & O by November 1915.
December 31, 1962 – B & O Railroad merges with Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad to form Chessie System.
April 4, 1963 – The last passenger train rolls through the valley.

Creating the Scenic Railroad

February 16, 1972 – Cuyahoga Valley Line is reincorporated to run an excursion line driven by a steam engine through Cuyahoga Valley on tracks owned by Chessie System.
Summer 1975 – Cuyahoga Valley Line begins operating with NPS interpreters on board.
May 16, 1976 –Cuyahoga Valley Line makes its first run from Cleveland Metropark Zoo to Hale Farm & Village.
November 1, 1980 – Chessie System merges with the Seaboard System to form CSX Railroad.
May 17, 1985 – Valley Railway Corridor is added to the National Register of Historic Places.
November 6, 1986 – An NPS boundary adjustment adds lands along the CSX-owned railroad.
September 29, 1987 – NPS completes a deal with CSX Systems, at the cost of $2.5 million, to transfer ownership of the valley tracks. NPS will lease the rails back to Cuyahoga Valley Line.
June 18, 1988 – Cuyahoga Valley Line resumes services after a hiatus as track ownership is resolved.
May 1989 – NPS enters into a cooperative agreement with Cuyahoga Valley Line to operate on the NPS-owned railway corridor. This includes the use of the Margaret Fox House in Peninsula.
September 27, 1989 – The first diesel engine pulls a Cuyahoga Valley Line excursion.
April 25, 1994 – Cuyahoga Valley Line becomes Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad (CVSR).
November 4, 1994 – CVSR takes possession of the renovated Fitzwater Yard as its maintenance facility.
February 16, 2022 – CVSR celebrates 50 years.

Improving Infrastructure

July 25, 2001 – CVSR and the park dedicate the updated Akron Northside Station, owned by the city.
August 14, 2004 – Peninsula Depot Visitor Center is dedicated. It is owned by preservationist Robert L. Hunker, leased by CVSR, and managed and operated by NPS. CVSR began operating it as a train station in 2002.
December 14, 2010 – CVSR dedicates the Fitzwater Road Bridge which provides access to its maintenance facility.
August 27, 2011 – CVSR and the park reopen Rockside Station which had been closed for improvements since January 8. The upgrades included the expansion of the boarding station, vault toilets, better lighting, and an asphalt parking lot.
January 17, 2012 – The park receives $3.2 million to fund five train projects. These will construct a pedestrian bridge between Lock 39 and Rockside Station, rebuild a locomotive with green technology, rebuild a baggage car to support bike shuttle service, and rebuild a wheelchair-accessible car.
August 29, 2013 – The park opens the new 240-foot Rockside Station Pedestrian Bridge over the Cuyahoga River. This provides a safer connection between the train station and the Towpath Trail at Lock 39 in Independence. The $1.36 million project was funded by the Federal Transit Administration.
February 6, 2014 – Peninsula Depot Visitor Center is renamed Peninsula Depot, as the park discontinues visitor services there. CVSR continues to lease the station from the Peninsula Foundation and offer ticket sales.
June 16, 2015 – The Hillside Pedestrian Bridge that provides train passenger access to Canal Exploration Center closes due to safety concerns. It reopens after rehabilitation work is complete.

Ensuring Track Safety

August 1, 2016 – The park begins a project to replace six road crossings along the Valley Railway between Peninsula and Akron.
August 25, 2021 – To improve safety, the park bans pedestrians from walking on the railroad tracks except at official crossings.
October 2022 – During routine track maintenance, engineers discovered soil instability four miles south of Fitzwater Yard. Railroad operations are modified to avoid this location.
March 3, 2023 – CVSR suspends its modified train operations and spring activities until the eroded spot can be stabilized. The park installs track monitoring equipment.

Expanding Services

July 5, 2003 – CVSR begins weekend service to Canton at the Canton Lincoln Highway Station from Akron Northside. Once in Canton, passengers could shuttle to other attractions such as the Pro-Football Hall of Fame or First Ladies NHS. The service is short-lived, ending in spring 2004.
July 26, 2004 – CVSR holds a press event to show off the newest addition to its vintage fleet, a 1950 self-propelled M-3 Rail Diesel Coach Car.
June 9, 2007 – CVSR launches one-way Bike Aboard! shuttle service for $2. It later becomes the Explorer program and expands to include some e-bikes and kayaks.
June 4, 2009 – CVSR debuts its new Voices of the Valley audio tour.
December 14, 2010 – CVSR previews its new wheelchair-accessible train car and dedicates the Fitzwater Road Bridge which provides access to its maintenance facility.

Special Programs

November 27, 1992 – CVSR runs the Polar Bear Limited, its first winter holiday train.
December 20–22, 1994 – CVSR offers the first Polar Express™ excursions, based on the children’s book. Tickets were $10 for adults and $6 for children.
November 25–December 17, 1996 – CVSR debuts the Christmas Tree Adventure. Passengers can ride the train to Peninsula, buy a tree at Heritage Farms, and return with it by train.
May 28–June 1, 1999 – For the first time, Thomas the Tank Engine™ steams into CVNRA, offering rides every hour starting at 9 am.
September 20, 2007 – For the first time in 17 years, a steam locomotive returns to Cuyahoga Valley. CVSR hosts special runs with the OC 1293, provided by Ohio Central Railway System.
May 3, 2008 – CVSR honors retiring US Representative Ralph Regula at its fourth All Aboard Ball.
July 25, 2008 – The Little Engine That Could™ visits Cuyahoga Valley as part of the I Think I Can™ Tour. Service departs from Boston where there is music, storytelling, and clowns.
November 18, 2020 – Last Polar Express™ run begins. Later, the holiday program returns as the North Pole Adventure.

Thirty people stand on either side of a white ribbon that wraps around the porch of a cream building. Many of them wear khaki park volunteer uniforms. — Many hands cut the ribbon on the new Volunteer Center, 2009.
NPS / Ted Toth

Serving Visitors, Engaging the Community

Canal Exploration Center

September 1981 – The first Canal Visitor Center, located on Hathaway Road, opens to little fanfare.
December 16, 1989 – The new Canal Visitor Center at Lock 38 is dedicated.
Summer 1992 – CVNP begins rehabilitation on Lock 38, rebuilding it to the 1905 standard.
June 5, 1993 – Canal Visitor Center offers the first Lock Demonstrations at the newly restored Lock 38.
May 6, 2013 – Canal Visitor Center closes for the construction of new exhibits, a $1.3 million project.
May 17, 2014 – The grand opening of Canal Exploration Center features historical characters, demonstrations, canal music, games, and live mules.
August 4, 2021 – Canal Exploration Center reopens after being closed for nearly two years, mostly due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Boston Store Visitor Center to Boston Mill Visitor Center

October 11, 1996 – A ribbon-cutting is held to celebrate the opening of the Boston Store Visitor Center with new exhibits on boat building.
March 31, 2011 – The Conservancy is offered the option to buy the historic Zielinski Court, a private property in Boston.
August 30, 2012 – The park completes the Conceptual Development Plan and Environmental Assessment to analyze potential upgrades to the visitor and employee facilities in the Boston Mills Historic District and nearby area. The public is invited to comment. The Preferred Alternative includes purchasing Zielenski Court, transforming it into the park’s main visitor center, moving the train station, creating new parking areas, and building a pedestrian bridge across the river.
December 21, 2016 – The Conservancy announces its plan to purchase Zielinski Court.
January 8, 2018 – The park and the Conservancy hold a ceremonial groundbreaking for the new $5.9 million Boston Mill Visitor Center.
October 25, 2019 – A crowd gathers for the grand opening of Boston Mill Visitor Center.
March 17, 2020 – Park operations adjust to the emerging COVID-19 pandemic. Soon, staff set up an outdoor information center beside Boston Mill Visitor Center. Trail use surges.
July 27, 2023 – The park community celebrates the opening of a new 200-foot footbridge across the Cuyahoga River in Boston. The Summit County Engineer managed the $1.4 million project to provide a safer connection between the visitor center and the Towpath Trail.

Hunt House

Summer 1994 – Hunt Farm Visitor Information Center opens, initially with an Eastern National sales area.
Summer 2010 – Hunt Farm Visitor Information Center exhibits are updated to be more family friendly.
February 6, 2014 – Hunt Farm Visitor Information Center is renamed Hunt House to avoid confusion with nearby farms.

Park Name Change and Changing Visitation

October 11, 2000 – Congress changes the name of Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area to Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
June 12, 2006 – CVNP releases the results of a comprehensive survey of park visitors. At the time, 91% were from Ohio, 15% were first-time visitors, and 48% visited at least 12 times per year.

Music and Arts

1991 – Kevin O’Neil works with the park and Cuyahoga Valley Association to form the Cuyahoga Valley Photographic Society.
September 3, 1994 – The park begins advertising for Art@MDGarage, monthly art shows in the historic M.D. Garage. They are organized by Crooked River Gang, a group of local artists and run through June 1, 2019.
March 8, 2001 – CVNP hosts the first contra dance through a partnership with North Coast Contra and Boston Township Hall. Dances are held twice per month and are led by a caller to the live music of the band Hu$hmoney.
January 16, 2009 – CVNP debuts a new house concert series hosted by Artist-in-Residence Ed Caner at Hines Hill Conference Center. Ed features different guest performers and musical styles.
June 14, 2006 – Hillbilly IDOL performs the first Music in the Meadow concert at Howe Meadow.
June 13, 2021 – The Music in the Meadow summer concert series is rebooted as Rhythm on the River, attracting a more diverse audience.

Engaging the Community

June 26, 2006 – The park and its Akron partners launch Get Up, Get Out & Go! The summer wellness series serves urban youth ages 11-14 years and their families. This kick-off event is held at Mustill Store in Akron with food vendors, activities, and music.
August 12, 2006 – The grand finale of the first Get Up, Get Out & Go! summer series is held at Howe Meadow. There are family activities such as canoeing, tie-dying, challenge courses, and games as well as steel and African drum performances.
March 26, 2007 – CVNP hosts a public listening session at Happy Days Visitor Center to get public input on President George W. Bush’s $3 billion National Park Centennial Initiative. This is gearing up for the National Park Service’s 100th birthday in 2016.
2009 – The Get Up, Get Out & Go! series expands to Cleveland.
April 17, 2010 – As part of the park’s First Bloom project, children from the Friendly Inn Settlement House plant a butterfly garden at the Cleveland social service agency.
September 15–16, 2011 – The park hosts a Modern Day Mather Hike and overnight stay for about 20 Akron-area health and wellness professionals. They begin discussions on “Healthy Parks Healthy People,” a global movement that has US goals which are coordinated by the NPS.
August 22, 2012 – The park and CVSR invite spiritual leaders to ride the train and learn about health and wellness opportunities. The initiative is called the Pastors in the Park Program. It is repeated in June 2013.
June 16, 2013 – The park introduces summer Sunday Fun Day family programs.
March 8, 2021 – The park begins to seek public comments on how to improve visitor experiences, an early step in developing a Community Access Plan.
July 18, 2022 – The park kicks off the second round of public comments shaping our Community Access Plan. Five public meetings are held in Akron, Cleveland, and CVNP.

Special Events and Memorable Programs

April 22, 2000 – Cuyahoga Valley Association officially “steps” off Challenge 25. Participants celebrate the park’s 25th anniversary by hiking 25 miles by July 30. The reward is a commemorative patch designed by cartoonist Chuck Ayers.
July 30, 2000 – The park’s 25th anniversary celebration continues with a special concert at Blossom Music Center. The Cleveland Orchestra premiers a piece by James Horner in honor of the milestone.
October 29, 2005 – CVNP raises more than $2,500 in a benefit concert for New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park. Rangers Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes and Matt Hampsey perform. Both are temporarily stationed here after their park closed following hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
March 4–5 and 6–7, 2010 – CVNP hosts weekend workshops for the public and for teachers to develop the first 25 Canalway Quests. The workshops are led by national questing expert Steve Glazer. The program provides a fun way to explore our national heritage area.
March 9 and March 10, 2012 – The park welcomes two singing rangers from New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park. Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes and Matt Hampsey present Songs and Stories of the Underground Railroad on the first night as part of the Lyceum Lecture Series. The second night is a musical performance with local group Mo’ Mojo.
August 8, 2014 – CVNP promotes park activities to visitors coming to Cleveland and Akron for the international 2014 Gay Games, August 9–16.
July 30, 2016 – The Biannual American Solar Challenge race begins at Station Road Bridge Trailhead in Cuyahoga Valley. Qualifying university teams drive 1,975 miles on the open road during an eight-day rally, stopping at nine national parks.
August 21, 2016 – As part of the National Park Service Centennial, Cuyahoga Valley hosts Celebrate100: Party in Your National Park at Howe Meadow. Free cupcakes and activities are enjoyed by all.
April 27, 2018 – Professor Doug Tallamy of the University of Delaware gives a Lyceum lecture. He talks about the specialized relationships between animals and plants, and how this relates to our yards. Tallamy is a leader in the movement to landscape with native plants.
April 8, 2024 – Cuyahoga Valley hosts an influx of visitors, mostly from outside the local area, who come to view a total solar eclipse.
July 12, 2024 – The park hosts the 24th U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón for a special Poetry in Parks event. Limón unveils a picnic table inscribed with Jean Valentine’s poem, “The valley.”

Junior Rangers

1988 – The park begins offering summer Junior Ranger programs for “inner city disadvantaged children.” Initially these were two-night backpacking experiences. In the 1990s, they transitioned into day and overnight camp options. The audience broadened to include repeat family visitors.
June 20, 2002 – The park reboots the Junior Ranger family program series, including what were previous Young Naturalist/Young Archeologist programs. The first program offered is “Bring on the Birds.”
May 26, 2005 – The park announces its new Junior Ranger Handbook.
June 20, 2006 – CVEEC introduces the Junior Ranger, Jr. program series for ages 4-6. It was developed in collaboration with early childhood experts from Akron Summit Community Action’s Head Start program and The University of Akron Center for Child Development.
August 28, 2008 – The park premiers its innovative Junior Ranger Activity Cards for ages 3-6 and anyone with cognitive disabilities.

Digital Media

Spring 1998 – The park creates its first web page.
January 1, 2000 –The park introduces www.dayinthevalley.org, a one-stop calendar of events within Cuyahoga Valley.
June 1, 2016 – Cuyahoga Valley partners with Kent State University and Cleveland Metroparks to pilot a free, science-learning mobile app.
April 2021 – The NPS App is launched during National Park Week. In preparation, Cuyahoga Valley creates new mobile-friendly, trip-planning content.

Changing VIP Program Management

December 1970 – NPS launches the Volunteers-in-Parks (VIP) program.
March 1978 – Superintendent Bill Birdsall issues CVNRA’s first call for volunteers.
February 3, 2009 – Works begins on the new Volunteer Center. Cuyahoga Valley National Park Association raises more than 2/3 of the $855,000 cost in private donations.
November 9, 2009 – CVNP and Cuyahoga Valley National Park Association cut the ribbon on the new co-managed Volunteer Center. It consists of four buildings in Boston designed for program management, meetings, and equipment storage.

A Community of Park Stewards

June 6, 1988 – On the first Corporate Cleanup Day, volunteers remove 40 tons of materials.
March 1995 – The first Trailblazer Handbook is published. This helps train the new volunteer group to keep trails safe for visitors and assist law enforcement rangers.
February 26, 2011 – Recruitment begins for Paw Patrol, a new volunteer group to serve as trail ambassadors. Selected volunteers and their dogs undergo extensive training.
March 18–20, 2011 – The park hosts its first Alternative Spring Break, a service-learning experience for college students.
August 31, 2011 – Fairmount Minerals brings more than 425 employees for the park’s largest corporate volunteer group event to date. Among their 11 projects, they plant more than 1,500 hardwood trees, restore historic train cars, and improve the Valley Trail.
May 20–21, 2016 – Cuyahoga Valley participates in a nationwide BioBlitz. The citizen-science initiative is a celebration of the National Park Service’s 100th anniversary. Park and volunteer scientists count as many species as possible within 24 hours to highlight biodiversity.
August 25, 2023 – CVNP announced that a group of students and their teacher, Candace Bates, from Archbishop Hoban High School Center for Sustainability in Akron have been awarded the national 2022 George and Helen Hartzog Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service in the Impact Award Team Category.

Changing Names and Offices

1987 – NPS and Cuyahoga Valley Association (CVA) enter into a memorandum of agreement, cementing our relationship and authorizing CVA to use the park-owned Homestead property on State Route 303 as its headquarters. (CVA’s precursor is Peninsula Valley Heritage Association, founded in 1962.)
July 1, 2002 – CVA reorganizes as Cuyahoga Valley National Park Association (CVNPA).
November 2005 – CVNPA moves its administrative offices to the newly renovated Hines Hill House. The park-owned building was built in 1904 by Charles Jaite, president of Jaite Mill.
Spring 2011 – Cuyahoga Valley National Park Association changes its name to Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park (the Conservancy).

Cuyahoga Valley Environmental Education Center

1993 – Cuyahoga Valley Environmental Education Center (CVEEC) is incorporated under CVA. Renovations begin to convert farmhouses and barns into dormitories, classrooms, and dining halls for students.
March 1994 – CVEEC begins to pilot its new resident curriculum at CVEEC’s Lipscomb Campus.
May 21, 1994 – The grand opening of CVEEC features the Cuyahoga Valley Youth Ballet performing “Spirit of the Cuyahoga.”
June 1999 – November Lodge opens on the CVEEC campus.
September 29, 2002 – CVEEC hosts the first annual Clambake and Auction fundraiser to support its scholarship fund.
2008 – CVEEC recruits its first Teacher-Ranger-Teachers.
July 22, 2010 – CVEEC unveils a public artwork. Akron high school students and University of Akron art education students worked with ceramicist Angelica Pozo to create ceramic tile benches celebrating local biodiversity.
September 2, 2015 – In preparation for the NPS Centennial, the park participates in the White House’s new Every Kid in a Park program. Fourth grade students complete an activity and obtain a free annual NPS entry pass for their families.
March 8, 2019 – Akron Public Schools establishes the Cuyahoga Valley National Park Academy of Global Marketing and Media at Ellet High School.

Lodging and Camping

June 20, 1985 – George Stanford House is leased to American Youth Hostels to provide lodging.
April 6, 2010 – The park launches a pilot program offering five seasonal primitive camp sites near Stanford House. The Conservancy manages the bookings.
May 6, 2011 – The historic Stanford House reopens as an overnight lodging facility after a $281,000 renovation. It is managed through a partnership with the Conservancy.
November 1, 2019 – The park closes the Stanford Backcountry Campsites.

Retail and Rentals

Summer 2006 – CVNPA launches Extraordinary Spaces. Rental income from weddings and other events helps support park goals
August 24, 2007 – CVNPA dedicates its new store, Trail Mix, in the village of Boston on Support Your Park Day.
January 1, 2008 – Happy Days Visitor Center transitions to Happy Days Lodge, a special events site managed by CVNPA.
July 4, 2008 – CVNPA dedicates its second store, Park Place in Peninsula.
October 27, 2012 – Park Place in Peninsula moves and is rebranded as Trail Mix Peninsula.
June 2021 – The former Trail Mix Boston building reopens as The Gallery, an exhibit space.
July 2021 – The Trail Mix Boston retail operation moves to Boston Store.

Native American Heritage

April 28, 1979 – A plaque commemorating Pilgerruh, a 1786–87 Moravian Mission site, is installed.
Summers 1983 and 1985 – Cleveland Museum of Natural History (CMNH) leads archeological work at the Greenwood Village Site, prehistoric ceremonial earthworks located along the Old Carriage Trail.
January 1992 – David Brose and Stephanie Belovich publish “Late Woodland Fortifications of Northeast Ohio” which includes their findings on the Greenwood Village Site.
June 7, 2003 – CVNP hosts an American Indian Cultural Celebration at Howe Meadow as part of Ohio’s Bicentennial. The festival is presented in partnership with the American Indian Center of Cleveland, the Lake Erie Native American Council, the North American Indian Cultural Centers, and Cuyahoga Valley National Park Association. The headliner is Grammy Award finalist R. Carlos Nakai Quartet.
June 15, 2005 – An Ohio Historical Marker is dedicated to the prehistoric village of South Park, funded by the Ohio Bicentennial Commission. Three days later, Dr. Brian Redmond of CMNH co-leads a hike exploring South Park and the Whittlesey tradition, a late Woodland culture.
September 2018 – A new Pilgerruh wayside exhibit is installed along the Towpath Trail. It was developed in consultation with the Delaware Nation of Moraviantown.
August 18 and 22, 2022 – The park holds public meetings for Tribal Nations as well as local Native Americans to give input on our Community Access Plan.

Frontier and Canal Heritage

September 23, 1995 – After extensive renovation and with new exhibits, the Frazee House opens to the public. It is one of the oldest houses in Cuyahoga Valley. Later, the building closes due to structural issues. New outdoor exhibits in 2018 carry the story.
December 18, 2018 – The canal play boat is installed in Boston, completing the 70-exhibit Towpath Trail wayside project.

Builders and Founders

September 8, 2000 – At Happy Days Visitor Center, the park dedicates a 6-foot bronze statue of a Civilian Conservation Corps worker, recognizing their contributions to the Virginia Kendall area.
March 19, 2008 – Janet Hutchinson receives the Presidential Award for 22,150 hours of volunteer service. Janet is also recognized for her role as a founder. From 1966–75, she contributed an additional 8,000 hours advocating for park establishment as a leader within the League of Women Voters.
June 29, 2008 – New wayside exhibits near Everett Covered Bridge are unveiled to honor two park founders, US Congressmen Ralph Regula and John F. Seiberling.
August 2, 2008 – Retired US Congressman John F. Seiberling dies at age 89. He chaired a House subcommittee on public lands and national park. This preserved 129 million acres, mostly in Alaska and including CVNP in Ohio.
December 9, 2008 – Western Reserve PBS begins an oral history project for its CVNP documentary, Generations. Three recording sessions are held at Happy Days Lodge in spring 2009. The show airs in fall 2009 to coincide with the premier of America’s Best Idea: Our National Parks by famous filmmaker Ken Burns.
2011 – CVNP partners with Cleveland State University to record more than 50 oral histories documenting Cuyahoga Valley’s farming heritage.
April 12, 2013 – The park and Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens present the premiere of A Tree Grows in Washington: The John Seiberling Story as part of the Lyceum Lecture Series. The documentary film is by Emmy Award winner Paul R. Jacoway.
April 8, 2014 – Professor Ken Bindas of Kent State University presents a Lyceum lecture on his recent book, The Civilian Conservation Corps and the Construction of the Virginia Kendall Reserve, 1933–1939. The book release was in fall 2013.
July 20, 2017 – Retired US Congressman Ralph Regula passes away at age 92. Regula helped establish CVNP. For 34 years afterward, he guided over $200 million to the park to purchase land, restore historic structures, and launch activities for the public’s enjoyment. He and his wife Mary Regula pushed for the creation of First Ladies National Historic Site, now overseen by CVNP.
February 24, 2022 – CVNP records an oral history with Peg Bobel as part of a project documenting women’s roles in engaging people with parks.

African American Heritage

April 24, 2010 – The park, the Phillis Wheatley Association, and Cleveland State University host a reunion at Camp Mueller, established in 1938 and one of four African American owned and operated camps in the nation.
May 1 and 8, 2010 – Cleveland State University records oral histories with former Camp Mueller campers.
February 24, 2017 – CVNP hosts a Historians Roundtable on the history and stories of the African American experience in green spaces.
2021 – Dr. Mark Souther and his history students at Cleveland State University begin research on what becomes Green Book Cleveland.
July 8, 2021 – The park records an oral history with Cordell Stokes at Stone Cottage as part of the African American Perspectives project.
2023 – Green Book Cleveland evolves into a restorative history project of Cleveland State University and CVNP with multiple collaborators. With help from community members, we preserve stories of Black leisure and entertainment in Northeast Ohio.

Two workers guide the arm of an excavator as it begins to notch a low-head dam in a muddy river below. — An excavator reaches into the Cuyahoga River and starts jackhammering the Brecksville Diversion Dam, 2020.
NPS / Arrye Rosser

Helping Nature Recover

Cuyahoga River Fires in the Shipping Channel

August 1868 – The Cuyahoga River’s first documented blaze occurs when a spark from a tugboat’s funnel ignites an oil slick.
February 3, 1883 – A fire ignites and burns for three days while the river is at flood stage. Nine oil, gasoline, and kerosene storage tanks plus 30 stills at the Standard Oil refinery explode. Riverfront companies suffer $800,000 in losses.
1912 – This river fire kills five dock workers.
1936 – This river fire lasts for five days.
1887, 1914, 1922, 1930, 1941, 1948, 1949, 1951 – These are other years that there were major Cuyahoga River fires.
November 1, 1952 – This is the most expensive river fire. The Cuyahoga burns for three days and destroys three tugboats, three buildings, and a ship repair yard. There are nearly $1.5 million in damages.
June 22, 1969 – The most infamous Cuyahoga River fire was put out so fast that no pictures are taken. Cleveland Mayor Carl B. Stokes holds a Pollution Tour for the press the following day. Attention to this fire helps inspire the modern environmental movement.

Protecting the Great Lakes and Beyond

January 11, 1909 – The US and Canada sign the Boundary Waters Treaty. It establishes the International Joint Commission to carry out its provision, setting up a cooperative framework for managing the Great Lakes.
April 15, 1972 – The US and Canada sign the first Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. They agree to reduce pollution and to limit the amount of phosphorus entering the lakes. This has caused excessive algae growth, particularly in Lake Erie. It becomes an unprecedented success.
October 18, 1972 – The Clean Water Act is established. It has stronger protections than past laws.
December 12, 2005 – US EPA and many other partners unveil the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy. It identifies five focus areas, including combatting invasive species, restoring wetlands, and cleaning up the most polluted areas. This is the foundation for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative that began in 2010.

Cleaning Up the Cuyahoga River

December 1, 1920 – Boston Township trustees file a formal complaint about river pollution with the new Ohio health department. This results in Akron building its Water Reclamation Facility in southern Cuyahoga Valley. The Peninsula Board of Education sent a similar resolution in 1916.
November 18, 1987 – The US and Canada sign the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement of 1987. They agree to get rid of persistent toxins by cleaning up the 43 most polluted locations, called Areas of Concern (AOCs). The Cuyahoga River is one of 26 in the US.
1988 – Ohio EPA establishes a coordinating committee to develop a Cuyahoga River Remedial Action Plan (RAP), setting in motion the cleanup process.
1990 – The Cuyahoga River AOC Advisory Committee identifies nine Beneficial Use Impairments (BUIs) that need to be addressed to restore the river to health.
April 27, 1991 – Friends of the Crooked River holds their first RiverDay to raise awareness about the Cuyahoga. The main event was a trash cleanup in the national park, followed by a concert.
March 1992 – The Cuyahoga River Remedial Action Plan is released.
May 5, 2018 – The Cuyahoga River AOC celebrates the removal of its first two BUIs, (“Degradation of Aesthetics” and “Public Access and Recreation Impairments”) with a public event at Merwin’s Wharf in Cleveland.
March 18, 2019 – “Restrictions on Fish Consumption” is removed as a BUI. Fish from the Cuyahoga are now as safe to eat as any others taken from Ohio waters.
June 16, 2021 – “Eutrophication or Undesirable Algae” is removed as a Cuyahoga River BUI.
August 3, 2023 – “Fish Tumors or Other Deformities” is removed as a Cuyahoga River BUI.

Removing the Brecksville Dams

October 28, 2009 – CVNP holds a public meeting to seek input on an Environmental Impact Statement to consider whether to modify or remove the Brecksville Diversion Dam.
May 21, 2020 – An excavator began notching the Brecksville Diversion Dam, the first step in its removal.
June 24, 2020 – The last of the Pinery Feeder Dam is removed. The Cuyahoga River from Akron to Cleveland becomes free flowing for the first time in almost 200 years.
September 29, 2023 – The Pinery Feeder screw pump passes inspection, concluding the Brecksville dam removal project.

Other CVNP River Restoration Projects

July 9, 2004 – CVNP and US Geological Survey scientists announce testing for a new rapid method for measuring bacteria levels in the Cuyahoga River. This uses magnetic beads.
March 9, 2010 – The park receives the first of many significant habitat restoration grants funded by the new Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
December 20, 2011 – The park completes a $1.5 million project to install a new constructed wetland system to treat the sewage from 11 park buildings in Boston. This protects the Cuyahoga River from failing septic systems.
June 18, 2013 – The US Geological Survey, in collaboration with the National Park Service, launches NowCast forecasts the Cuyahoga River in CVNP. Scientists use turbidity, or cloudiness, of the water and rainfall totals to estimate E. coli bacteria levels. This rapid testing predicts whether or not the river is safe for recreational use that day.
May 20, 2017 – RiverDay volunteers plant native trees and shrubs along Furnace Run, a major tributary of the Cuyahoga. The reforestation site is upstream of Everett Covered Bridge.
November 7, 2018 – The US Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District award a $425,000 contract to restore nearly 1,200 linear feet of Stanford Run near Peninsula. This includes building a new culvert under the Towpath Trail to reconnect the stream with the Cuyahoga River. Most work is completed by early January 2020.

Celebrating the River’s Recovery

July 30, 1998 – President Bill Clinton designates the Cuyahoga River as one of 14 American Heritage Rivers.
July 3, 2007 – The first bald eagle chick ever documented in Cuyahoga Valley fledges.
February 1, 2009 – A hike along the Cuyahoga River kicks off the Year of the River, as the NPS and partners celebrate the difference 40 years can make.
February 25, 2017 – Historian David Stradling speaks about the legacy of Carl B. Stokes and the 1969 Cuyahoga River fire as part of the Lyceum Lecture Series. Stradling’s research influences how the park and other partners interpret the event’s significance.
December 12, 2018 – The park hosts an open house at Happy Days Lodge for the public to learn about the 100-mile Cuyahoga River Water Trail project.
2019 – The park is one of more than 300 organizations, municipalities, agencies, and corporate partners which come together to create Cuyahoga 50 and the Xtinguish Celebration in honor of the river’s recovery over the 50 years since the infamous 1969 fire.
March 1, 2019 – The park hosts an influential panel discussion called Crooked Chronicles: A Century of River Cleanup in Cuyahoga Valley. This talk is part of the Xtinguish Celebration.
April 16, 2019 – American Rivers names the Cuyahoga “River of the Year” for 2019, honoring recovery efforts and its historic significance.
June 19–22, 2019 – CVNP staff and volunteers help shepherd the Xtinguish torch between a series of events. These begin with a Native American ceremony in the headwaters. River heroes pass the torch on through Kent, Cuyahoga Falls, Akron, Peninsula, and CVNP. Sculptures are dedicated at most sites, including at Station Road Bridge. The finale is a large Cuyahoga 50 celebration in Cleveland.
October 4, 2019 – The Cuyahoga River becomes an Ohio water trail.
Spring 2021 – US Fish & Wildlife Service staff floated down the Cuyahoga, mapping the riverbed. They determined that CVNP has suitable habitat to support lake sturgeon, an uncommon fish being reestablished in Lake Erie.
July 2021 – A team of scientists led by US Army Corps of Engineers relocate a small number of rare freshwater mussels from the Grand River to the Cuyahoga. This pilot confirmed that mussels can survive in the CVNP section of the Cuyahoga.
October 2, 2024 – A team from US Fish & Wildlife Service and Ohio Department of Natural Resources release 60 young lake sturgeon, a state-listed endangered species, into the Cuyahoga River. Boston is one of three release sites. This is the pilot year of a long-term project.

Wildlife Changes

Circa 1973 – Beavers were first observed at Virginia Kendall Park according to Bert Szabo, the chief naturalist of the Akron Metropolitan Park District.
April 9, 1983 – The Akron Beacon Journal reports on beaver activity the previous winter in the area now called Beaver Marsh.
1984 – The park’s first comprehensive wildlife survey is completed.
Spring 1985 – The first nesting great blue herons are discovered in Pinery Narrows.
1986 – The park’s first botanical survey is completed.
1993 – NPS initiates an intensive program to inventory parts of the natural ecosystem and monitor populations over time.
April 1, 2004 – Trust for Public Land finishes a two-year process with NPS and the City of Akron. This adds a 92-acre property to the entrance of CVNP that is critical to the Bath Road Heronry. It protects the river and allows visitors to view the nesting bird colony.
October 1, 2004 – A press release announces Audubon Ohio’s designation of CVNP as an Important Birding Area (IBA).
April 8, 2010 – Akron Zoo, Summit Metro Parks, and CVNP partner on a summer Year of the Bat program series. This helps raise awareness of the threat posed by white-nose syndrome and other causes of declining bat populations.
October 17, 2023 – Black chin shiner and Iowa darter are among the first rare Ohio fish to be raised and released into Indigo Lake. Project partners include Summit Metro Parks, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, The Ohio State University, and US Fish and Wildlife Service.

Richfield Coliseum Project

October 26, 1974 – The $36 million Coliseum at Richfield holds its grand opening with a concert by Frank Sinatra. The arena is on the western edge of Cuyahoga Valley.
September 1, 1994 – The last concert at the Coliseum was Roger Daltry of The Who.
February 25, 1999 – Trust for Public Land purchases the 327-acre Coliseum property for $9,270,000 for transfer to NPS. This prevents a possible megamall development on the CVNP border.
March 1999 – TPL begins to demolish the 100-acre facility and restore the site to natural habitat. This includes removing 80 acres of parking lot and 600,000 gallons of wastewater.

Krejci Dump Project

October 1980 – Courts rule that NPS must purchase the Krejci Dump at three times the original offer and issue a five-year special use permit to allow the Krejci family to remove personal property and scrap metal.
1985 – The Krejci Dump closes after operating since 1948.
June 18, 1987 – US EPA announces the cleanup effort of Krejci Dump, with a warning to the public to stay away to allow workers to map the dump.
2000 – NPS reaches a settlement agreement with several of the industrial parties who had contributed to the Krejci Dump site contamination. Ford Motor Company agreed to lead the cleanup and restoration.
2001 – NPS wins a major court victory. A federal district court judge orders 3M to reimburse NPS more than $20 million in costs incurred by NPS regarding the Krejci Dump site investigation.
October 2, 2007 – After two years of work, the initial major excavation is complete at the Krejci Dump site. Over 225,000 tons of contaminated soil and debris is hauled away.
August 29, 2012 – The park announces that it has attained its rigorous goals for soil remediation at the former Krejci Dump site. Final restoration actions move ahead. The project is funded by an Earth Day 2002 legal settlement for cost recovery (to date, valued at $30 million) plus about $21 million in damages.
December 2020 – NPS issues a certification of completion to Ford Motor Company finding that all requirements and performance standards for cleaning up and restoring the Krejci Dump site have been achieved. More than 375,000 tons of contaminated materials were removed and shipped off-site to a licensed disposal facility. The land is restored to native habitat.
August 2022 –CVNP wins a national award from US EPA recognizing the 47-acre Krejci Dump environmental cleanup project.

Deer Management Plan

October 11 and 12, 2006 – CVNP holds public meetings to get input in developing a White-tailed Deer Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement. The program is delayed by a legal challenge.
December 4, 2014 – The park releases its final White-tailed Deer Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement to support long-term restoration of native plants and other resources. Final approval is in February 2015.
January 1, 2016 – The first season of culling begins under the park’s new White-tailed Deer Management Plan. The work is done in partnership with the US Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services branch. Meat is donated to local food banks.

Jaite Mill Project

March 14, 2006 – The three-month process to demolish the Jaite Mill begins. The project is funded by the Krejci Dump legal settlement.

Kendall Lake Projects

September 7, 2007 – CVNP begins work on the Kendall Lake dam, repairing damage caused by a 2003 flood. The lake is drained from November through May 2008 to fix the dam, widen the spillway, and dredge about 6,000 cubic yards of sediment.
June 2, 2014 – Kendall Lake reopens for fishing after a long-term closure while it was drained, dredged, and restocked.
Summer 2024 – Kendall Lake is dredged to maintain the dam and the habitat. Excess sediment has been washing into Kendall Lake faster than expected from upstream sources.

Managing Invasive Plants

1986 – The park’s first botanical survey is completed.
April 22, 2010 – On Earth Day, 65 students from Archbishop Hoban High School in Akron participate in the park’s first service-learning project. They remove invasive autumn olive along the butterfly monitoring trail at Terra Vista Natural Study Area.
March 29, 2012 – CVNP conducts its first prescribed fire for habitat management. The initial site is the 10-acre “borrow pit” near I-80. Subsequent burns there are in 2015 and 2021.
January 31, 2013 – The park holds a public meeting to seek input on the draft of its updated Fire Management Plan. The proposed plan adds two new locations for prescribed burns: the former Richfield Coliseum site and the Terra Vista Natural Study Area. Another comment period is in summer 2014.
April 20, 2016 – The park conducts its first prescribed fire at Terra Vista Natural Study Area to help control invasive plants and restore native habitat. The second is in 2021.
October 24, 2022 – The park conducts the first prescribed fire at the 40-acre site of the former Richfield Coliseum.

Blossom Music Center Project

2007 – With help from Trust for Public Land, CVNP begins a process to ultimately purchase 578 acres of the 780-acre Blossom Music Center. This will conserve important forest and waterway habitat and provide financial assistance to the Cleveland Orchestra.
March 16, 2011 – CVNP completes the first Blossom Music Center land deal. The initial 233 acres costs nearly $4 million.
November 14, 2011 – CVNP completes the second Blossom Music Center land deal. The total project cost is $9.25 million. It is paid for with money from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund.

Brandywine Golf Course Project

October 3, 2019 – The Conservancy enters into a purchase agreement to acquire the former Brandywine Golf Course.
September 27, 2021 – The Conservancy purchases 213 acres of the former Brandywine Golf Course on behalf of CVNP.
December 28, 2022 – The Conservancy sells 198 acres of the former Brandywine Golf Course to CVNP. It retains 15 acres to be developed for river access and public programming.
2023 – The Conservancy manages the contaminated soil remediation at the former Brandywine Golf Course.

Other Important Projects

July 13, 1984 – The degraded site restoration contract is completed for the Station Road area. The cost is nearly $80,000. The work is part of a plan to reduce erosion coming from 17 NPS-owned sites.
November 24, 1986 – The degraded site restoration contract is completed for Gray Quarry, now Indigo Lake. The cost is more than $336,000.
August 2013 – In partnership with the US Geological Survey, NPS releases a scientific inventory that maps the park’s vegetation types.
November 16, 2013 – CVNP is designated a “Climate Friendly Park” following an April planning workshop. The park identifies goals for reducing its greenhouse gas emissions.
January 13, 2022 – CVNP announces that it has begun a $2 million Great American Outdoors Act project to remove vacant structures and restore 12 acres of natural habitat throughout the park.
May 27, 2022 – CVNP is one of seven national parks to receive funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to plug two oil and gas wells.

A woman holding a bag of groceries reaches over a table of vegetables to pay a female vendor wearing a lacy, embroidered shirt. — Shopping for fresh produce at Cuyahoga Valley Farmers Market, 2024.
NPS / Rick Santich

Growing Park Farms and Markets

Adding to the National Register of Historic Places

December 18, 1978 – Edmund Gleason (Carey) House is entered into the National Register.
May 7, 1979 – Allen Welton House is added to the National Register.
March 12, 1993 – The follow historic properties are entered into the National Register: Edward Cranz House, Michael Duffy Farm, Richard Vaughn Farm, and William & Eugene Cranz Farm.
August 6, 1999 – Nathaniel Point Farm is entered into the National Register.

CVNP Farm Program

1999 – The Countryside Initiative is created as an NPS program to preserve the valley’s agricultural landscapes.
2001 – Cuyahoga Valley Countryside Conservancy releases its first request for proposals for potential farmers.
May 1, 2002 – The first two farms are leased in the Countryside Initiative farming program. Mike and Margaret Lytz open Sarah’s Vineyard on the Parry property. Robert and Joan Hall open Blue Hen Family Farm on the Leyser property, which operated through 2007.
July 1, 2002 – Alan and Susan Halko establish Spring Hill Farm and Market on the Vaughn farm property. In 2014 it becomes Spice Acres.
May 8, 2006 – Daniel and Michelle Greenfield create Greenfield Berry Farm on the Alan Welton property. On the same day, Eric Walters and Heather Kuhne start Basket of Life Farm on the Duffy property. The latter operates through 2015. In 2016, the Duffy House is used as the administrative offices of Countryside Conservancy.
May 9, 2006 – Terrence Smith and Cynthia Bechter-Smith begin Goatfeathers Point Farm on the Point-Biro property, specializing in Tennessee fainting goats and heritage turkeys. It operates until 2020.
October 31, 2007 – Laura DeYoung begins The Spicy Lamb Farm on the Ross-Garvey property. It operates until 2024.
November 16, 2007 – The Neitenbach family starts the Neitenbach Farm on the Grether property. It specializes in culinary and medicinal herbs.
Spring 2008 – Cuyahoga Valley Countryside Conservancy changes its name to Countryside Conservancy to better communicate its mission of reconnecting land, farming, food, and community. Later, this is shortened to Countryside.
February 1, 2009 – Dave Wingenfeld and his family begin Canal Corners Farm & Market on the Gleason farm, which operates until 2022. During this period, the Wingenfelds host concerts and plays in the Big Red Barn.
March 1, 2009 – Jeff Brunty moves his Brunty Farms poultry business to the former Martin property. In time, he will expand to other meats. They continue until 2018.
May 1, 2009 – Karoly Bozan creates the Kossuth Family Farm on the Leyser property. It operates until 2014.
May 1, 2012 – Mark Trapp establishes Trapp Family Farm on the former Holland property.
June 27, 2014 – Ben and Jackie Bebenroth begin Spice Acres on the Vaughn farm property. Ben is a Cleveland chef, restaurateur, and caterer.
August 1, 2016 – Sasha and James Miller launch Purplebrown Farmstead on the Schmidt-Foster property. In 2021, they open the Purplebrown Farm Store in Peninsula.
August 19, 2016 – Kyla Werlin and Beth Lomske establish Oxbow Orchard on the Edgar farm property.
June 13, 2020 – Mike and Melissa Keleman begin Keleman Point Farm on the Point-Biro farm property.

Red, white, and blue bunting decorates the wraparound porch of a grand, historic, 3-story brick house with boxy slate roof on a wide road. — The Saxton-McKinley House at First Ladies National Historic Site, 2016.
NPS / DJ Reiser

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