What started in 1921 in an effort to encourage forestry, conserve
natural resources, and protect the comfort and welfare of the citizens
of Summit County has, in ninety years, grown into one of the largest and
most popular metropolitan park districts in Ohio. Today, Metro Parks,
Serving Summit County, manages 10,000 acres, including 13 developed
parks, six conservation areas, and more than 120 miles of trails, with
21.5 miles of the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail. Annual attendance
averages 4.5 million visitors. Since 2007, author Sarah Vradenburg, a
former editorial writer for the Akron Beacon Journal, has studied
archives, interviewed park visitors, and hiked with current and former
staff to help share a people-oriented history of the park district. The
book contains historic and current photos, including a signature
photograph of each open park at the time of publication. A review of the
park district's directors and commissioners, from 1921 to the present,
is also included.