Mount Airy Forest facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Mt Airy Forest
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Tree house in Mt. Airy Forest
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 Location in Ohio
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| Location | 5083 Colerain Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio |
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| Area | 1,471 acres (595 ha) |
| Built | 1911 |
| MPS | Historic Resources of the Cincinnati Park and Parkway System (1817-1959) |
| NRHP reference No. | 10000191 |
| Added to NRHP | April 13, 2010 |
The Mount Airy Forest in Cincinnati, Ohio is a really big park. It was started in 1911. It's special because it was one of the first big projects in the United States to replant trees in a city. With almost 1,500 acres, it's the largest park in Cincinnati.
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A Look Back: How the Forest Grew
Long ago, the land where Mount Airy Forest now stands was covered in trees. In the 1800s, people cleared these trees to make farms. But farming without trees caused big problems. The soil washed away easily, and the land became very poor. One farmer even joked that his farm had "slid down the creek" to New Orleans!
Replanting a Forest
To fix this, the city of Cincinnati decided to replant the area. This was a huge project, one of the first of its kind in a city. Most of the work happened in the 1930s. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) helped a lot. The CCC was a group of young men who worked on conservation projects during the Great Depression. They built many structures in the park that are still there today. These old buildings are now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Today, the park has many different kinds of natural areas. There are 700 acres of hardwood trees and 200 acres of evergreen trees. It also has wetlands, meadows, and a special garden area called an arboretum. In 2006, a cool treehouse was built that is easy for everyone to use, even if they use a wheelchair.
A Historic Place
Mount Airy Forest is very important. On April 13, 2010, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as a special place in American history.
Fun Things to Do at the Park
Mount Airy Forest offers many ways to have fun outdoors. You can explore many hiking trails. There's also an 18-hole disc golf course, which is like regular golf but you throw a disc instead of hitting a ball. If you have a dog, there's a special 2-acre dog park where your furry friend can run and play.
