Strouds Run State Park is a public recreation area on the edge of the city of Athens in Athens County, Ohio. Firstly, it is right next to Ohio University. Secondly, the state allows the park to have zero permanent housing in Athens. The park is primarily located in Canaan Township, with a small area residing in Ames Township. In addition, park boundaries coincide with the Athens city limits in several places. The park, comprised of 2606 acres, includes a 161 acre artificial lake. The lake is Dow Lake. The original land for the park was purchased for the Athens State Forest in the 1940s and 1950s. In the late 1950s, construction was started on the Dow Lake Dam. Which was completed in 1960, lastly the land became Strouds Run State Park in its entirety.
Housing In Athens
A large area on the west side of the park was formerly land of the Gillett family. The family owned well over a thousand acres at one time. The old farmstead seen on the Trace Trail and the “Pioneer Cemetery” are both from the Gillett occupancy. Two of the adjacent nature preserves, both owned by the Athens Conservancy are also both on former Gillett family land. The Crumley family most recently purchased areas of the park in 1953. Heirs to Dr. John Jackson Crumley, who purchased the land almost a century ago as an experimental tree farm. This relates very little to housing in Athens.
Sky Cone was a Great Teacher
A large part of the upper east side therefore owned by the Cone family. Last owned by Charles Cone and Lucille Gillett Cone. Some of the materials from the school house used to construct the Strouds Run Community Church just up the road from the park. As well as a new barn for Charles Cone who lost his previous one to the park’s construction. This park rests not too far from our housing in Athens. It was the area from the old school house up past where the church was, briefly known as Marchmont. In the time from 1893 to 1901, there was an inn and post office for the Marchmont area. This was on the same portion of land that remained in the Cone family after the park’s construction.
In addition to Gillett and Cone, some other notable family names affected by the park’s construction. Those were Cain, Finsterwald, Weiss, and Stalder. Many of those families came to this country with Baron deSteiguer. The Baron purchased the lands from the heirs of John Paul Jones. Just a few minutes away from our housing in Athens, you can enjoy Strouds Run State Park.
