Lush, well-maintained gardens, a large Italian-enaissance pavilion, sprawling green lawns, overlooks, and miles of forested walking trails; this week’s Park Tuesday takes us to the nearby neighborhood of Hyde Park/Mt. Lookout. At 224 acres, this is Cincinnati’s fourth-largest park, and the perfect place to satisfy a wide range of interests.
Ault Park is named in honor of Ida May Ault, the wife of “Father of Cincinnati’s parks”, Levi Addison Ault. Ault was the president of the Park Board from 1908 to 1926. When he first summited the hill that holds the park’s pavilion, Ault is quoted as saying: “Here lies a million dollar view, worthy of a structure of no less beauty than the Parthenon”. He and his wife acquired 204 acres of this land and donated it to the city in 1911, with smaller subsequent donations bringing it to its current size.
The pavilion Levi Ault hoped would rival the beauty of the Parthenon was completed and dedicated in 1930. This pavilion is one of the premier destinations for pictures in the Cincinnati area and hosts weddings and private events year-round. Beneath the pavilion sprawls several large lawns perfect for frisbee, a game of catch, or picnics. There is also an elaborate garden with sections reserved for a rose collection and adopt-a-plot garden spaces for local residential use.
As with many of Cincinnati’s parks, the overlook is one of Ault Park’s greatest assets. Heekin Overlook is named after James and Mary Heekin, a mercantile family from the late 1880s who sold their farm to Levi Ault as he gathered land for the park. The overlook rests just over Lunken Airfield and boasts incredible views of the Little Miami River valley meandering below with planes taking off and landing regularly.
The rest of the park consists primarily of wooded hillsides crisscrossed with paths of well-traveled hiking trails. Another popular photo destination is the abandoned train tracks and rail-bridge running through a section of these woods, intersected by several trails. The park truly has a bit of something for everyone, and an impressive portfolio of events weekly and annually! Check out this newly released video for a more in-depth account of Ault Park’s history and everything you can enjoy in this elegant vista: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGUZyMxT2ds .
コメント