Overmyer–Waggoner–Roush Farm facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Overmyer–Waggoner–Roush Farm
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One of the barns at the farm
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | 654 S. Main St., Lindsey, Ohio |
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| Area | 187 acres (76 ha) |
| Built | 1862 |
| Architect | Phillip C. Overmeyer |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 83002055 |
| Added to NRHP | September 8, 1983 |
The Overmyer–Waggoner–Roush Farm, also called "Creek Bend Farm," is an old farm in Lindsey, Ohio. Most of its buildings were built in the mid-1800s. Today, this historic farm has become a fun park for everyone to visit.
A Farm's Story: From Family Home to Modern Park
The Overmyer family came from Germany and settled in Pennsylvania in 1751. Phillip A. Overmyer was born in 1823. When he was ten, his family moved to Sandusky County, Ohio. In 1848, Phillip married Margaret Waggoner. She had also moved to the area in 1830.
Besides farming, Phillip ran a sawmill and made wagons. In 1862, the Overmyers built their brick farmhouse. It was designed in the popular Greek Revival style. They also built barns and other buildings. Seven of these old buildings are still standing today. Some even show parts of the Gothic Revival style.
Around the early 1900s, the Roush family took over the farm. They owned and worked the farm for over 100 years. They saw farming change from using animals to modern machines like tractors. Before he passed away in 1999, Robert Roush ran the farm. He cared a lot about nature. He tried new ideas, like planting a tree farm. He even plowed his fields in circles to protect the soil.
From Farm to Park: A New Beginning
In 2004, Robert's wife, Frances Roush, gave the farm to Sandusky County. She wanted it to become a county park. Along with the land and buildings, she also gave family journals and money to fix two old barns. Local leaders were very happy about this gift. They saw great potential for nature conservation.
The tree farm was especially important. Robert Roush had started it when most Ohio farmers were cutting down trees. They thought trees were in the way of useful land. This farm was already special before it became a park. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. This was because of its history and its unique buildings. Historians saw it as one of the best-preserved German family farms from the 1800s.
After the farm was donated, the Sandusky County Park District made plans. They wanted to build a visitor center. They also planned to turn farmland along Muddy Creek into a wetland. The old barns would be fixed up too.
Learning About Farming History
The park also planned to teach people about farming history. A local group arranged to farm parts of the land using old equipment from the early 1900s. They would use modern machines on other parts. This would show how farming technology has changed over time.
Today, the park is about 310 acres (130 ha) big. The Park District is working to make it look like a farm from the 1930s to the 1950s. You can't go inside the buildings yet. But visitors can hike on marked trails. The Park District also offers other activities. These include skiing, geocaching, watching nature, and metal detecting.
In 2007, the Park District removed thirty-one ash trees from the property. These trees were expected to be destroyed by the Emerald ash borer, a harmful insect. After the wood was cut at a sawmill, it was used to replace the flooring in one of the barns.
