In western Jefferson County sits a 272-acre park along an old 3-mile rail corridor that include historic bridges and tunnels.
The HEART of Appalachian Ohio Project will see the development of this property to make it more accommodating for visitors as well as develop the trail that follows the Cross Creek stream corridor.
The development of the 3-mile crushed limestone trail will include rehabilitation to the circa 1854 double track brick and stone railroad trunnel, restoration of the Lincoln Bridge (a stone bridge that Abraham Lincoln directed to be built in 1861 after nearly dying on the wooden trestle that preceded it), and the installation of two new modern bridges, and a cantilevered boardwalk that will cling to the hill and follow the creek.
The property which is home to largest population of state-endangered hellbenders will be enhanced with native plantings and pollinator areas. Visitors will see historic areas where Chief Logan, George Washington, Colonel Crawford, and Mad Anthony Wayne all visited. Statues of Abraham Lincoln and the tunnel builders will be added to the site to elevate the park and introduce the visitors to public art.
When built, the trail will serve as part of the Great American Rail Trail that goes between Washington DC and Washington State.
Wayne Township Trailhead & Community Building
The Wayne Township Trustees own property that is connected to the Hellbender Preserve Park and through the Appalachian Community Grant will transform the old Unionport School into a trail head with exterior access restrooms and a community building to serve both those visitors and residents.
Renovation of the early 1900s school building to be more accessible is needed as well as utility updates. The building will be equipped with small private rooms with computers to allow
the citizens of the region to utilize telemedicine services as broadband internet in the area is practically nonexistent.
The 10.66-acre property that the school sits on will also include the installation of pollinator areas that will be a part of the Appalachian Ohio Pollinator Trail. Community gardens will also
be added to improve the quality of life for the citizens.
The addition of a large asphalt paved parking area that will serve the complex and double as a landing area for life-flight medical services will also be added to the property.
A streetscape in Unionport will be added that will extend a bicycle trail through the unincorporated village connecting the school complex with the Hellbender Preserve Property. The trail will be a part of the national Great-American Rail Trail project.
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