Historic Mill Creek Park

Founded in 1891 as OhioAa's first park district, Mill Creek Park encompasses a unique wealth of natural and designed features that have been the backdrop for generations of family memories, spanning three centuries. A remarkable visionary, park founder Volney Rogers argued that the land itself could improve the lives of YoungstownAa's residents. Through fresh air for mill-weary lungs and tree laced horizons for workroom-bound spirits, he knew a park would make the community a better place for families. And he succeeded magnificently. Rogers and the nationally known landscape architects that he hired created breathtaking vistas of LantermanAa's Falls and scenic gorges and designed trails, drives, and three pleasure lakes. Other park features include nature preserves, display gardens, recreational fields, a Donald Ross-designed golf course, and a legacy of historic structures. Mill Creek Park indeed has earned its legendary claim as the most beautiful urban park in America.

Carol Potter is development director of Mill Creek MetroParks. Rick Shale, a professor of English at Youngstown State University, serves as a park commissioner. Potter and Shale are both graduates of Ohio Wesleyan University. Proceeds from the book will be donated to the Mill Creek Park Foundation Land Conservancy Fund.