Creating Cuyahoga Valley National Park: 50 Moments That Tell the Story

When the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail opened in 1993, it helped solidify the young national park’s identity.

© Tom Jones

In honor of our 50th anniversary year in 2025, Cuyahoga Valley National Park is highlighting 50 key events that help define who and what we are. They showcase the many partners that have come together to preserve open space, create opportunities for recreation, clean up pollution, restore habitats, and save historic resources. These moments demonstrate the power that people have when we work together for the wellbeing of current and future generations. Most moved us forward, but some set us back, leaving tensions that still linger today. The impacts of these events have endured. Reflecting on them allows us all to consider how today’s decisions will shape the next 50 years.

Are these the moments you would have picked? What would you add or remove?

Early Developments

1. Visits to the Cuyahoga Valley for recreation begin (1880)

1880 is perhaps the easiest date to pick for the beginning of travel by city residents to the Cuyahoga Valley for recreation. That year John Reese publishes Guide Book for the Tourist and Traveler over the Valley Railway! The book introduces the natural landscape, historic structures, and recreational potential of the valley. In the first decade of the 1900s, the Plain Dealer prints articles about attractions in the valley. The newspaper emphasizes places such as Brandywine Falls which could be reached by the Akron, Bedford & Cleveland Railroad. This route opens in 1895 and is now the Bike & Hike Trail.

2. The National Park Service is established (1916)

Although Yellowstone became the first national park in 1872, the early national parks are poorly managed and underfunded. Stephen Mather, the first superintendent of parks (1915–29), provides the dynamic leadership to turn things around. He successfully advocates for the Organic Act of 1916, which created a centrally managed National Park Service.

3. Cleveland Metroparks is established (1917)

In the early 1900s, industrialization and urbanization lead to expanding cities and the loss of natural resources. In 1905, William Stinchcomb, a landscape architect and engineer, first puts forward the idea of Cleveland Metroparks in a report to the city council. In 1917, Cleveland Metropolitan Park District/Cleveland Metroparks forms, the first countywide park district in Ohio. It begins to implement a vision for an Emerald Necklace of parks circling Cleveland. Brecksville and Bedford reservations in Cuyahoga Valley are among the first parks in the system.

4. Boston Township decries river pollution (1919)

Boston Township Trustees ask the new Ohio public health department to do something about pollution in the Cuyahoga River coming from Akron. Industrial enterprises in the city were discharging waste and contaminants into the waterway. This would then flow downstream into Boston and other communities leading to health concerns. In response, the Akron wastewater treatment facility in southern Cuyahoga Valley was built. In 1921, the Trustees advocate for the creation the Akron Metropolitan Park District to protect the river.

5. Summit Metro Parks is established (1921)

The Akron Metropolitan Park District, forerunner of today’s Summit Metro Parks, is established in 1921 under the leadership of F. A. Seiberling, founder of Goodyear Tire and Rubber. It is the second metropolitan park district in Ohio. Famous landscape architect Harold Wagner becomes its first Director Secretary. His tenure results in the creation of Sand Run, Furnace Run, O’Neil Woods, and Virginia Kendall parks in Cuyahoga Valley.

6. The first scout camp opens (1923)

During the Progressive Era, programs giving city-dwelling youth the opportunity to experience camping and the outdoors proliferate. Camp Manatoc (Boy Scouts) opens after generous land donations by industrialist H. Karl Butler. Camp Ledgewood (Girl Scouts) follows nine years later (1932). These are just two of the many youth camps established in the valley across time.

7. The Olmsted Brothers propose a Cuyahoga Valley Park (1925)

The Olmsted Brothers landscape architecture firm prepares a study for Akron Metropolitan Park District that highlights the recreational potential of the Cuyahoga Valley. The study says, “it is in the valleys that one can realize most effectively a sense of isolation and freedom from the sights and sounds of the modern city—and when all is said and done that is the justifying purpose of a country park.” Although the idea was dismissed as financially impractical, Akron Metropolitan Park District goes on to establish smaller parks in the valley.

8. Hayward Kendall donates land around the Ledges (1929)

Cleveland industrialist Hayward Kendall’s estate donates 430 acres around the Ritchie Ledges and a supporting trust fund to the state of Ohio. His will stipulates that the “property shall be perpetually used for park purposes.” It becomes Virginia Kendall State Park, in honor of his mother. The park is initially managed by the Akron Metropolitan Park District and later becomes part of Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

9. The Civilian Conservation Corps arrives (1933)

Akron Metropolitan Park District Director Harold Wagner applies for and gets a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp based at Happy Days, a part of Virginia Kendall State Park. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) is part of the New Deal proposed by President Franklin Roosevelt to combat the Great Depression. The program put people to work in the outdoors while rebuilding America. From 1933 to 1941, the CCC constructs Happy Days Lodge, Ledges and Octagon shelters, Kendall Lake, and many trails.

10. The Phillis Wheatley Association opens Camp Mueller (1941)

The Phillis Wheatley Association opens Camp Mueller as an overnight camp. This provides camping experiences for African American girls (and later boys) excluded from other sites by racist policies. Camp Mueller will eventually become a key site representing the history of the African American experience in the valley. The Phillis Wheatley Association sold Camp Mueller in 2022, but continues to provide social services in downtown Cleveland.

The first CCC company arrives at Virginia Kendall Park, December 1933.

NPS Collection

Growing Threats and Support

A Cleveland Press photo of the Interstate 271 bridge being built across Cuyahoga Valley on October 17, 1967.

NPS Collection/Cleveland Press

11. Interstate highways cut across the valley (1955)

The National Interstate and Defense Highways Act is passed in 1956, leading to the construction of major highways across the country. In the Cleveland-Akron area, this fragments city neighborhoods and leads to the growth of suburbs and development pressures in the Cuyahoga Valley. The Ohio Turnpike, (I-80) crosses the valley first in 1955. This is followed by Interstate 271. Interstate 271’s initial plan routed the highway up Riverview Road. Residents of Peninsula rally to have it moved north of downtown. Instead, it impacts the Brandywine Falls area, destroying historic houses and creating a noisy intrusion on the scenic area.

12. Raids on Lake Glen and the Cabin Club/Drift Inn, arson at Stonibrook (1957)

African Americans begin opening social clubs and recreation spaces in the Cuyahoga Valley. These clubs host music performances, picnics, and other entertainment. Anti-vice campaigns swept America in the 1950s, disproportionately targeting minority communities. In Cuyahoga Valley, Summit County officials repeatedly raid Lake Glen and the Cabin Club/Drift Inn. The situation climaxes in summer 1957. Nearby, an arsonist burns the Stonibrook resort before it can open under Black ownership.

13. Family donates Jonathan Hale homestead (1957)

Western Reserve Historical Society receives donation of the Jonathan Hale homestead in Bath from descendant Clara Belle Ritchie. A year later, Hale Farm & Village opens to the public, depicting life in the 1800s. Siegfried Buerling soon becomes the director. He leads a master plan that transforms the farm museum into an outdoor living history experience. Today the 90-acre site houses the Jonathan Hale Farm and a reconstructed village, Wheatfield.

14. Grassroots organizations build support to protect the Cuyahoga Valley (1962)

Peninsula Valley Heritage Association forms in 1962 to “encourage the development of the natural scenic and historic features of the Cuyahoga Valley by the appropriate authority.” The Lake Erie Watershed Conservation Foundation is one of the first to call for a Cuyahoga Valley park. Their concern was cleaning up the Cuyahoga. They rally the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission (chaired by John F. Seiberling), the two metropark districts, and community leaders to form the Cuyahoga Valley Committee in 1970.

15. The canal becomes a National Historic Landmark (1966)

The Ohio & Erie Canal in Valley View is designated as a National Historic Landmark. This is the first federal designation in what would eventually become Cuyahoga Valley National Park. A year later, Tinkers Creek Gorge was designated a National Natural Landmark. Other areas and structures throughout the valley are added to the National Register of Historic Places in the following years. These actions preserve historic structures and landscapes throughout the Cuyahoga Valley.

16. Blossom Music Center opens (1968)

Cleveland Orchestra leads an effort that results in the Blossom Music Center’s construction in the Cuyahoga Valley. This and the establishment of ski resorts, Brandywine Golf Course, and Hale Farm & Village boosted the concept of the valley as a multi-use recreational destination. Years later, a part of the Blossom lands outside the amphitheater are added to Cuyahoga Valley National Park through the work of the Trust for Public Land.

17. The Cuyahoga River famously burns (1969)

The Cuyahoga River is known for catching on fire. Industrial pollution on its surface burned at least a dozen times. The last fire in Cleveland comes in 1969 when a brief blaze occurs on Sunday, June 22. The following day, Mayor Carl B. Stokes leads a Pollution Tour of the river for the media. The story gets picked up by the national media, starting with an article in Time that appeared in the August 1, 1969, issue. This heightens public awareness of the river’s condition and leads to pollution control legislation, including the 1972 Clean Water Act.

18. “Parks to People” develops as a federal policy (1969)

President Nixon promotes a new Parks to People policy for national parks. It aims to protect open spaces in and around urban areas for the benefit and enjoyment of people living in them. Golden Gate and Gateway national recreation areas are established in 1972 as demonstration parks. Advocates argue that Cuyahoga Valley should be protected under this policy too.

19. Bill fails to create Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area (1971)

Congressman John F. Seiberling leads efforts to preserve the valley. He begins by fighting individual development projects, first as a citizen and then as part of a regional planning commission. During his first term as a congressman, Seiberling introduces the Ohio Canal and Cuyahoga Valley Recreation Development Act (H.R. 7673). Congress questions the level of public support for the park and the bill fails to pass. Seiberling strengthens his efforts by working to build a broader base of support among his Congressional colleagues. At the same time, he increases his community outreach.

20. A new Cuyahoga Valley Association forms (1971)

The first Cuyahoga Valley Association started in 1940 and operated for about a year. The name is revived in 1971 when park advocates approach the Peninsula Valley Heritage Association to change its name and adopt the park cause. The Cuyahoga Valley Association begins advocating for the park’s creation. Later, it becomes the park’s official friends’ group, generating community support through membership and fundraising. It provides leadership for arts and education programs. As it grows, it becomes one of the most successful friends’ groups in the National Park Service. In 2010, the name changes to the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

21. Cuyahoga Valley Preservation & Scenic Railway Association forms (1972)

Siegfried Buerling leads the effort to establish what will eventually become the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad. In 1975, the Cuyahoga Valley Line begins limited scenic train excursions the length of the valley using steam-driven locomotives. In 1991, operations expand when themed excursions and railroad-related events are launched.

22. Advocates testify at national recreation area hearings (1974)

On March 1 and June 8, 1974, park advocates testify before the House Subcommittee on National Parks and Recreation in support of a bill to create Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area (CVNRA). In his testimony, Congressman Charles Vanik says, “in no other project of this type . . . has there been such strong local support for park development.” A wide range of local, regional, and national organizations provide testimony to protect the valley from suburban sprawl. Congressman Louis Stokes sums this up well when he says, “Few of my constituents will be able to enjoy such a place if something is not done to save the Cuyahoga Valley from encroachment by apartments and commercial centers.”

Making the National Park

An aerial view of the Jaite Paper Mill, 1978.

NPS Collection

23. Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area is born (1974)

After an unsuccessful attempt in April 1971, local citizens and groups redouble their lobbying to create Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area. Three years later, Congressmen John Seiberling and Ralph Regula are among those whose last minute encouragement results in President Gerald Ford signing the bill into law on December 27.

24. The first park superintendent arrives, land acquisition begins (1975)

In January, William Birdsell is hired as the park’s first superintendent. His tenure is controversial. At first, the Army Corps of Engineers manages the park’s land acquisition program. Valley residents feel they are being forced to sell their property. In response, critics of the park form the Cuyahoga Valley Homeowners and Residents Association to advocate for their interests.

25. Virginia Kendall Park is added to the national recreation area (1976)

Ohio turns over the Virginia Kendall State Park to the National Park Service (NPS) in January. Akron Metropolitan Park District (today’s Summit Metro Parks) had been managing it for the state. In 1978, the NPS begins using the newly acquired Happy Days Lodge as a visitor center and program space.

26. The first biological surveys begin (1982)

The park hires its first resource management specialist. The first comprehensive wildlife survey is completed in 1984 and botanical survey in 1986. This baseline research informs decisions about how the developing park is managed. Cuyahoga Valley also begins some of the first citizen science projects in the region. Volunteers start long-term studies of water quality, coyotes, and raptors.

27. Jaite Mill properties are added (1985)

The National Park Service purchases the Jaite Mill Historic District. This includes the paper mill and company town. The company town buildings are rehabilitated and become the distinctive yellow offices of park headquarters. In October 1992, arsonists set fire to the former mill. Plans to rehabilitate the mill buildings are set aside. The focus shifts to restoring the area to natural habitat.

28. Cuyahoga Valley Trails Council is created (1985)

Cuyahoga Valley Trails Council is formed to explore the young park and provide recommendations on the best areas for trails. Their work culminates in the first trails plan in 1985. CVTC continues to work with National Park Service staff to build, maintain, and improve trails. Major volunteer projects include the Stanford and Plateau trails as well as the Brandywine Gorge bridge.

29. New era of park growth begins (1989)

John Debo is hired as the park’s superintendent. Major park development occurs during his tenure. Infrastructure benefits in this era of park growth, as trails are built, and historic structures are stabilized and re-purposed. A critical part of this success is that local Congressman Ralph Regula earmarks $200 million for the park while on the House Appropriations Committee. Congressman Regula served from 1973-2009.

30. Canal Visitor Center has a new home (1989)

Canal Visitor Center moves into the historic canal-era building at Lock 38. Modest exhibits focus on canal and park history. These exhibits welcome visitors for 20 years. In 2014 it reopens as Canal Exploration Center with new, comprehensive exhibits about the canal’s impact on Ohio and the nation.

31. Friends of the Crooked River forms (1990)

Friends of the Crooked River (FOTCR) forms to advocate for restoration and recreational use of the Cuyahoga River. RiverDay becomes an annual event in Northeast Ohio starting in 1991. At the first RiverDay, the national park removes cars used to stabilize the riverbank near Jaite while more than 200 volunteers clean up trash dumps. Under the longtime leadership of Elaine Marsh, FOTCR becomes the voice of the Cuyahoga.

32. Riding the Trails and Rails (1992)

Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad (CVSR) introduces new service options, including Trails and Rails, the forerunner of today’s Explore program. Visitors can ride the train one way and hike, bike, or kayak back. In 1992, CVSR runs the Polar Bear Limited. Two years later, they begin running a holiday train, “The Polar Express,” based on a children’s book. Now CVSR offers the North Pole Adventure. These programs prove extremely popular, bringing in new groups of visitors.

33. Towpath Trail officially opens (1993)

In 1993, 20 miles of the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail officially opens in Cuyahoga Valley. This expands on the first 2.5-mile section at Station Road, dedicated in 1975. The trail follows the path where horses or mules pulled boats filled with passengers and goods along the historic Ohio & Erie Canal. Today the Towpath Trail is 101 miles long and wildly popular, connecting partners from Cleveland to New Philadelphia, Ohio.

34. Cuyahoga Valley Environmental Education Center opens (1994)

Earthlore camps start in Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area in 1982 using a recently acquired farm property. An environmental education center is soon proposed. This eventually results in a 128-bed facility co-managed with the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park. This ongoing investment in education fulfills a key park purpose noted in our founding legislation.

35. Ohio & Erie Canalway becomes a National Heritage Area (1996)

In 1996, Congress designates the Ohio & Erie Canalway as a National Heritage Area, a cohesive lived-in landscape of national significance. This preserves a part of the Ohio & Erie Canal corridor that links Lake Erie to the Ohio River. Our location within the Canalway connects the park to some 40 communities by way of the Towpath Trail, Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, and Canalway Byway.

36. Creation of Countryside Initiative (1999)

The Countryside Initiative is created as a National Park Service program to preserve the valley’s agricultural landscapes. The valley has a rich tradition of farming. The National Park Service found a way to lease some of our historic properties to farmers. In return, they use sustainable farming methods, provide fresh meat and produce, and offer farm-related experiences for the public.

37. Richfield Coliseum demolition (1999)

The Gund family works with the Trust for Public Land to acquire the vacant Richfield Coliseum and restore the site. This protects the national park and nearby villages from a major commercial development on our doorstep. Workers remove 80 acres of asphalt parking lots, demolish the arena, and add tons of topsoil. The property is then transferred to Cuyahoga Valley. Today grassland birds nest where the Cleveland Cavaliers once played basketball.

38. Park name changes (2000)

Congressman Ralph Regula includes the park’s name change to Cuyahoga Valley National Park in a House Appropriations Bill. It passes on October 11. The name change makes the park more recognizable as a unit of the National Park System and leads to a dramatic increase in visitors from beyond the region.

Recovery, Restoration, and Recreation

Partner representatives cut the ribbon at the Cuyahoga River Water Trail dedication, 2019.

NPS / Tim Fenner

39. Bald eagles fledge first baby (2007)

After an unsuccessful attempt in 2006, a pair of bald eagles raises an eaglet near Station Road Bridge Trailhead in Brecksville. This is the first successful eagle nest ever recorded in Cuyahoga Valley. In a remarkable coincidence, about a month later, the US Fish and Wildlife Service removes bald eagles from the list of Threatened and Endangered Species. The bald eagles eat fish from the Cuyahoga River. Nesting eagles demonstrate the river’s dramatic comeback after years of poor health.

40. US Environmental Protection Agency sues Akron (2009)

The federal government sues the city of Akron for violating the Clean Water Act. This leads to a consent decree that provides the foundation for Akron Waterways Renewed to eliminate and reduce sewage overflows. Such overflows have a long history of polluting the Cuyahoga River and its tributaries. As a result, Akron completes major projects that vastly improve the river’s water quality downstream in Cuyahoga Valley and beyond.

41. Volunteer Management Office opens (2009)

The national park hires its first volunteer program manager in 1989. Volunteers donate thousands of hours to support all aspects of park operations. In 2009, the National Park Service and the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park open the Volunteer Management Office. This collaboration supports additional growth in volunteer opportunities, especially for youth.

42. Wetmore and Stanford Run habitat restoration (2019)

The National Park Service launches new stream and forest restoration projects to improve the Cuyahoga River ecosystem. At Wetmore, staff and volunteers remove invasive species, plant trees to reforest former pasture, and create a small wetland. At Stanford Run, the US Army Corps of Engineers installs a larger culvert under the Towpath Trail and excavates a new meandering stream channel. Volunteers plant about 1,000 native trees.

43. Cuyahoga River Water Trail designated (2019)

On October 4, the Cuyahoga River is designated as an Ohio Water Trail. This was the culmination of efforts by the National Park Service and 25 other organizations. This results in 24 access points with signage, maps, and educational materials on nearly 100 miles of river. In 2021, Cuyahoga Valley hires its first river rangers to support the increase in paddling.

44. Boston Mill Visitor Center opens (2019)

Boston Mill Visitor Center opens on October 25 as a partnership project with the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park. It is now the main point of contact for visitor services, featuring a central location and award-winning exhibits. The new visitor center is especially helpful in serving an increase in people from out-of-town.

45. Rhythm on the River concert series debuts (2020)

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the park and the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park renew our commitment to engage with the community and provide inclusive experiences for diverse audiences. The Conservancy begins hosting Rhythm on the River, a family friendly outdoor concert series to showcase musical genres of jazz, rhythm and blues, and soul. Additional efforts include Read with a Ranger programs and changing exhibits at the Gallery. In 2024, new interpretive themes become the basis for our inclusive approach to telling park stories.

46. Brecksville dams are removed (2020)

The health of the Cuyahoga River takes a giant step forward with the removal of the Brecksville Diversion and Pinery Feeder dams. These dams had been built to divert water into the Ohio & Erie Canal. Dam removal is the culmination of three decades of effort by many organizations, including Friends of the Crooked River. Fish now swim freely from Lake Erie in Cleveland to Akron.

47. Krejci Dump is finally clean (2020)

In December, the National Park Service confirms cleanup of the Krejci Dump, a former salvage yard and waste disposal facility in Boston Township. The cleanup took several decades to complete and restored a vital natural landscape. The effort gained widespread publicity and was featured in a National Geographic article. The story highlights the remarkable recovery of toxic sites in the Cuyahoga Valley.

48. Towpath Trail is completed in Cleveland (2021)

In June, a section of the 101-mile Towpath Trail in Cleveland opens at a ribbon cutting ceremony. It is the culmination of a project that has been ongoing for decades. The trail stretches from Tuscarawas County to Cleveland, following the Ohio & Erie Canal corridor. In the process, it has become a spur and connector to a network of trails throughout the region.

49. Planning for mussels and sturgeon reintroduction begins (2021)

In July, a team of scientists led by the US Army Corps of Engineers relocates a small number of freshwater mussels to the Cuyahoga River. Mussels feed by filtering water and reproduce with the help of host fish. The pilot project confirms that mussels can survive here. Also in 2021, the US Fish & Wildlife Service maps the riverbed to see if the Cuyahoga has the right habitats to support lake sturgeon, another rare species. The results are positive. Plans continue for both mussel and lake sturgeon reintroduction, the latest symbols of river renewal.

50. Brandywine Golf Course is acquired (2022)

In December, the National Park Service purchases 198 of the 213-acre former Brandywine Golf Course property from the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The Conservancy had purchased the property from the owners in September 2021. The acquisition is part of a long-term plan to improve public access and restore critical habitat. The Conservancy is leading the planning effort with an emphasis on preservation of natural resources and enhancing the visitor experience.

Planning for the future of the Brandywine Golf Course property, 2023.

NPS / Tim Fenner

Learn More

Look for programs and additional articles on the CVNP 50 web page.

Visit the National Park Service History eLibrary for digital access to official studies about Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

One of the best resources for historical background on the park’s creation is A Green Shrouded Miracle: The Administrative History of Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area.

The Compendium of the Oral History Project for the Cuyahoga Valley Administrative History contains interviews with many of the key figures who created the park.