A Metro Park in a Rural Valley
The Clear Creek valley extends from the intersection of Clear Creek with the
Hocking River in the east to the town of Revenge in the west. In 1996 the valley
officially opened as Clear Creek Metro Park, part of the Franklin County Metro
Parks system.
The beauty of the Clear Creek valley comes from the overlap of geologic and
climate zones. Here the prairies of the west meet the Appalachian forests of the
east. Canadian hemlocks pushed south by glaciers meet southern species such as
rhododendron. And it all rests on a bedrock of Blackhand sandstone.
The topography of the park is extremely rugged, with many steep ravines, rock
outcroppings and cliff faces. While hemlocks and ferns prefer the cool ravines,
the hillsides are covered with oak forests. Open fields on the ridge tops and in
the valley provide habitat for meadow plants and animals, and wetlands along the
creek create homes for sycamore trees and waterfowl.
Over 1200 plant species have been identified in Clear Creek. Among the
standouts are mountain laurel, little gray polyploidy, maidenhair ferns,
horsetail, pink ladyslipper, skunk cabbage, witch hazel, American chestnut, and
persimmon trees.
The valley is home to over 150 species of birds, including black vultures,
eastern bluebirds, veeries, wood thrush, great blue heron, woodcock, wild
turkey, and many species of warblers.
Evidence of beaver activity is easily found near the creek, but bobcats live
more secretive lives among the rock ledges. Chipmunks rustle among fallen leaves
and deer sightings are frequent.
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Park History
Much of the land in Clear Creek Metro Park comes from three sources. The Allen
F. Beck and Emily Benua families had been acquiring and preserving valley
properties for decades, and Oscar Barneby owned valley land on which the Camp
Indianola church camp was built. The Ohio State University later converted the
church camp to the Barneby Center, a natural resources lab.
In the late 1960's there was talk of damming the valley and turning it into a
reservoir. After this project was defeated, the Beck and Benua families began
donating their land to the Franklin County Metro Park system. When OSU abandoned
the Barneby Center, Metro Parks was able to buy it. The park now contains about
5,000 acres of woods and fields.
Under Ohio law any county can set up a metropolitan park district. That
organization can acquire land for parks both inside and outside its home county.
The Franklin County Metro Park system was given donations of Clear Creek land
and had the resources to acquire and care for more of the valley. They were able
to step in and save this wonderful place when others could not.
Clear Creek Metro Park will always retain its semi-primitive nature. Future
development will provide more trails, picnic spots, and areas for nature program
presentations, but there will also be sections kept closed to the public for the
preservation of rare and endangered species.
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