Thanks for joining us for the History of Governor Bebb MetroPark: Part 1! If you haven’t read Part 1 yet, click the link to get caught up before you read Part 2.
Dry Fork Campground
In 1962 E. W. McCarty sold the remaining acreage of his farm to the Butler County Park District forming the pinewood forest and the Dry Fork Campground areas of Governor Bebb MetroPark. The new land would also allow for the creation of five new trails: the Chief Cornstalk, Discovery, Nonhelema, Pelewa and Serenity. The Native American names recognize that the area was once inhabited by members of the Fort Ancient culture, based on authenticated artifacts. Construction began on the campground’s Murstein Youth Hostel/Cabin (financed by the William Murstein Community Foundation) in 1962 and was dedicated in May of 1963. The one and a half story wooden cabin has served many organizations over the years and boasts a huge fireplace and chimney (recently retrofitted with a wood-burning stove) and sleeps 25 on wooden bunks. The kitchen is equipped with an electric stove, refrigerator, a countertop, and wall cabinets, but no running water. My favorite story about the Murstein Cabin comes from a family that rented the cabin for a Thanksgiving family gathering. The youngest generation’s thankful list now includes indoor plumbing and modern heating!
The Murstein Cabin, and the smaller Calhoun Cabin (no longer at Governor Bebb MetroPark) served as the base for a summer camp for Butler County students who had completed 7th grade. Five Butler County schools attended the SW Ohio Outdoor Education School/Butler County Conservation Camp at Governor Bebb MetroPark during the summer of 1968, which was funded by a grant from Sears Roebuck Foundation to the Izaak Walton League of America. Bruce Diehl, the director for Butler County Park District, was also President of the Ohio Izaak Walton League at the time. The campers explored the historical sites at Governor Bebb MetroPark, visited local farms and investigated soil conservation throughout the week. The summer camp’s primary objective was to give boys and girls an appreciation of nature and teach them to enjoy and not abuse natural resources. An emphasis on keeping the environment healthy was stressed during the camp after the first Earth Day in 1970. The camp was held at Governor Bebb MetroPark for at least eight years and expanded operation to twelve weeks during the summer months.
Today, Dry Fork Campground is open year-round for camping with seven primitive sites, eight sites with electric hook-up for campers, plus a group campsite that can hold up to 30 people. Other amenities include a picnic table and fire ring at each site, a playground, outdoor restrooms and a community water spigot. There are no dump stations or showers at the campground. Thanks to a $488,000 H2Ohio Grant, MetroParks was able to stabilize the eroding Dry Fork Creek streambank that was encroaching on the campground last year.
The Sycamore Grove Trail and Dry Fork Creek Bridge
In 2023, a new pedestrian bridge was constructed across Dry Fork Creek allowing visitors to explore 60 acres of forest west of the creek that was previously inaccessible to the public. The one-mile Sycamore Grove Trail loop connects to the new bridge and includes a 1/3-mile section that is wheelchair accessible. The rest of the new trail heads toward the Indiana state line and features the ruins of an old homestead cabin and overlooks an 80-foot-high bluff. So be sure to take some time to visit this unique park for a trip back to 1800’s Ohio, a walk through the woods, a trek through the creek, or reserve a campsite or cabin to share a campfire with friends and family. The park offers a wide variety of public programs throughout the year, from Owl Prowls to creeking and opportunities to visit Pioneer Village, so consider this your invitation to EXPLORE!
About the Author:
Nancy is a Visitor and Event Services Technician with MetroParks of Butler County. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Aquatic Environments from Allegheny College and a Masters in Environmental Science from IES at Miami University. Nancy was Naturalist for Bull’s Run Nature Sanctuary and Arboretum in Middletown for 5 years, then 5 years as a full-time mom to 2 toddlers before working at Sunshine Preschool in Middletown for 26 years, first as a teacher and finishing as the director. Nancy began working for MetroParks in 2019 and has been a volunteer as well for Living Like a Pioneer field trips, Pioneer Life and Fun on the Farm special events, and Show and Tell on the Farm programs at the Chrisholm MetroPark Historic Farmstead. She continues to share her love of nature and crafts in so many ways.
Contact Nancy at: nclark@yourmetroparks.net.