Quail Hollow State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Quail Hollow State Park |
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The Stewart house and associated buildings
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| Location | Stark County, Ohio, United States |
| Area | 703 acres (284 ha) |
| Elevation | 1,158 ft (353 m) |
| Established | 1975 |
| Administered by | Stark Parks |
| Designation | Ohio state park |
| Website | Quail Hollow State Park |
Quail Hollow Park is a large park in Stark County, Ohio, in the United States. It covers about 703 acres, which is like 530 football fields! The park first opened to visitors in 1975. Before it became a park, it was a private family farm and later a place for hunting.
Today, Quail Hollow Park is open all year long for many fun activities. You can go hiking, mountain biking, and cross-country skiing on its trails. There's also a small pond where you can go fishing or ice skating when it's cold enough. The park also has places for group camping (you need to book ahead) and picnic areas.
Contents
A Look Back: The Park's History
The land where Quail Hollow Park now stands was once home to different Native American tribes. The last tribe living there before settlers arrived was the Lenape, also known as the Delaware people.
From Farm to Family Estate
The first settler to build a home here was Conrad Brumbaugh in 1820. He cleared land and started farming. His family owned the farm until 1914. That's when Harry Bartlett Stewart bought it. Mr. Stewart was an important person who led the Akron, Canton and Youngstown Railroad.
At first, the Stewarts used the land as a hunting camp. Later, they made it their main home. They called it the Minnie Taylor Farm, named after Mr. Stewart's wife, Minnie.
Harry Stewart's son, Harry Bartlett Stewart, Jr., later took over the land. The family kept improving the buildings. The original house grew into a grand manor. It was built with styles like Greek Revival and Federal architecture.
Becoming a Public Park
The Stewart family lived at Minnie Taylor Farm until 1975. They then sold the land to the state of Ohio for half of what it was worth! The United States Department of the Interior helped with the money to buy the land.
Quail Hollow State Park officially opened on May 15, 1975. In 2016, the park changed its name to Quail Hollow Park. This happened when the State of Ohio and the Stark County Park District agreed that Stark Parks would manage it as part of the county park system.
Nature and Wildlife at Quail Hollow
Quail Hollow Park is in a very rich farming area in Northeast Ohio. This region is part of the Interior Plains of North America. The land is mostly flat, but you can find some hills. These hills were left behind from the last ice age.
Glacial Lakes and Unique Habitats
Small lakes called kettle lakes are found throughout this area. These lakes formed when glaciers carved out dips in the land. Large pieces of ice broke off the melting glaciers, filling these holes and creating lakes.
One of these kettle lakes at Quail Hollow Park has shrunk into what is now a bog. A bog is a type of wetland with very wet, spongy ground. This bog is a special home for many different plants and animals. You can find Poison sumac growing in the sphagnum bog.
Plants and Animals You Might See
The park also has a small area of tall grass prairie. Here, you can see plants like sneezeweed and blazing star. The forests in the park are a mix of different trees. These forests provide homes for many animals, including:
- white-tailed deer
- spring peepers (small frogs)
- wild turkeys
- chorus and green frogs
- raccoons
- garter snakes
- blue gill fish
- red foxes
Fun Things to Do at the Park
Quail Hollow Park is open for fun activities all year round!
Camping and Trails
There is a simple campground for large groups like the Scouts or church youth groups. This campground is a bit remote, meaning it doesn't have running water or trash cans. So, you need to bring your own water and take all your trash with you when you leave.
The park has 19 miles of trails! These trails are great for hiking, mountain biking, and cross-country skiing. If you look carefully, you might spot some wildlife and many different kinds of plants along the trails. There are eight special nature trails in the park. Quail Hollow also has a five-mile trail for horses.
Fishing and Picnics
Shady Lane Pond is open for fishing, but you need a valid Ohio fishing license. Near Shady Lane Pond, you'll find a nice picnic area and a playground. It's a perfect spot to relax and have a meal outdoors!
Images for kids
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The Stewart house and associated buildings
