Monday, October 23, 2023

Busy Fall Day at Mill Hollow – October 7, 1963

Yesterday was the perfect day to head down to the Vermilion River Reservation to see how the fall colors were coming along at Mill Hollow & Bacon Woods. There was some great fall foliage here and there, but it's not quite peak color yet. 

Heading down there on a Sunday to enjoy the autumn color was on a lot of people's mind too – sixty years ago, according to the article below, which appeared in the Journal back on October 7, 1963.

According to the article, "At Bacon Woods (Mill Hollow) Reservation in Amherst, a record attendance of nature lovers was reported. Exactly 8,668 persons took advantage of this "golden day" to take a last look at the glory of God's creation.

"According to Henry L. Minert, director-secretary of the Lorain County Metropolitan Park District, this attendance was the highest ever reported at the park in its three-year history.
"Many of the people at Mill Hollow Sunday were picnickers, some were nature lovers and others just wanted to appreciate a day away from the house.
"Some were part of the thousands of sightseers who crowded country roads driving slowly to see the shades of reds, golds, browns and greens in the trees of the landscape.
"Some drove most slowly lest they miss a particular oak or maple tree. Their children scrambled out of the car at intervals collecting beautiful leaves for an exhibit at school.
"Sunday was one of those days when nothing bothered anyone. The beauty of God's universe was reflected in the faces of His children."
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There were no records set down there on Sunday. In fact, while I was there (from late morning to early afternoon) I saw about ten people – most of them walking dogs.
With few people there, I was free to wander around, enjoy the beautiful weather, and capture some shots with my camera phone.
Since there still was a lot of green, I'll have to revisit the park soon – before some windstorm strips the trees of their leaves, which is often the case.
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Mill Hollow and its history has been a favorite topic on this blog, which is not surprising since the park is one of my favorite places.

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Some of the nicest fall color that I found on Sunday was literally in my own backyard – around the old quarry that's behind my condo.


4 comments:

  1. Beautiful photos, Dan, and much nostalgia, as Mill Hollow was a favorite place for family excursions.
    Can you imagine, though, the call to arms were a contemporary newspaper to credit God for such beauty?

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  2. Wonderful photos of a beautiful place.

    Dad always took us on a "tree drive" the 3rd weekend of October. Usually an hour or so north to North East, PA (which is in the northwest of the state) where we'd buy different varieties of grapes, a couple mums, and a peck of the last apples we'd get for the year - this was back when foods were seasonable.

    On the way there, and back, he always made a big deal of driving past "Little Hope Cemetery."

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  3. That kind of article is decidedly out of style today. But the photos are lovely, Dan.

    Love that name, Don - "Little Hope Cemetery."

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  4. nice photos Dan...You may want to check out the Otto Schoepfle gardens in Birmingham .

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