Mill Creek Park was established in 1891 as the principal property of
the Youngstown Township Park District, now the Mill Creek Metropolitan Park
District. The creation of Mill Creek Park is the result of the foresight and
untiring efforts of Volney Rogers. The
Park District serves the Mahoning County residents, and welcomes visitors from
across the nation and around the world.
The Mill Creek Metropolitan Park District preserves open spaces within the
urbanized Mahoning Valley. Mill Creek Park covers 2,530 acres and includes 21
miles of scenic drives and 15 miles of foot
trails, and a rare collection of gardens, streams, lakes, woodlands,
meadows and wildlife for all to enjoy. Visitors will find a wide range of
recreational opportunities such as hiking, biking, picnicking, boating, Par-3, or championship golf, tennis, sand volleyball
and more. Many of the facilities can be found at the James L. Wick, Jr. Recreation Area.
Universally accessible trails, fishing pier, playground and picnic areas
are located throughout the Park. Cabins and pavilions for group events are
available for rental year-round.
Fellows Riverside Gardens - This
eleven acre living museum, funded by a very generous bequest of the late Mrs.
Elizabeth A. Fellows, began with its first plantings in 1963. The Gardens
include labeled displays of roses, tulips, chrysanthemums, herbs, trees,
evergreens, dwarf conifers, rhododendrons, annuals, and perennials. Other
features in the Gardens include two flagstone terraces, a lovely reflecting
fountain pool, a beautiful Victorian styled gazebo, and a climbing plant trellis
system. The Kidston Pavilion, overlooking Lake Glacier, is one of the newest
addition to the Gardens. This pavilion and the Gazebo are available by permit
for weddings. Educational opportunities such as guided school and group tours,
horticulture classes for children and adults, specialty plant sales,
horticulture flower shows, and outreach programs to local schools and senior
centers are all available at Fellows Riverside Gardens
Lanterman's Mill, restored through
a gift from the Ward and Florence Beecher Foundations, represents one of the
many pioneer industries developed along Mill Creek and operates today, as it did
in the 1800's, grinding corn, wheat, buckwheat, and oats. The nearby Gorge Trail
offers a dramatic peek into the area's geological history. The Ford Nature Education Center is staffed
year-round with naturalists ready to enlighten visitors on the natural
environment through permanent exhibits, traveling programs and nature hikes. The
Pioneer Pavilion, The Old Log Cabin, and the Bears Den Cabin are restored facilities
located in Mill Creek and are available throughout the year for renting. The MetroParks Farm in Canfield gives visitors an insight into our food chain, and Yellow Creek Park in Struthers offers a
smaller but no less beautiful version of the Mill Creek Gorge as well as
educational and recreational programming. The Vickers Nature Preserve in Ellsworth
offers extensive hiking trails through meadow and early-succession forest as
well as the Buckeye Horse Park. The Newport Wetlands observation area and the McGuffey Wildlife Preserve also offer additional locations of interest. A
variety of activities for all ages are offered throughout the year by each
facility. For information concerning attractions, special events, pavilion
rental, or weddings call the Park District office at (330) 702-3000 or write to:
Mill Creek Metropolitan Park District, P.O. Box 596, Canfield, OH 44406-0596.