The HEART of Appalachian Ohio Project will see the continued enhancement of the 102-acre Quaker Ridge Arboretum and Nature Trails Property in Salem Township Jefferson County.
The property is a former Underground Railroad Station that was purchased using the Clean Ohio Green Space Fund. Work on the property has been ongoing since the spring of 2020.
Through the Appalachian Community Grant, the property will be enhanced to both make it user friendly and to tell the uniquely Appalachian Ohio story of the land. Restrooms will be constructed on the property, a small abandoned milkhouse will be rehabilitated to serve visitors, a barn shell will be built where the historic barn once stood overtop of a patio area (similar to the Benjamin Franklin House in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania).
The trails will be enhanced by the addition of the crushed limestone trails through the pollinator field and at the entrance of the park to make the areas more accommodating to visitors. Bridges will be added spanning Cedar Lick creek and a boardwalk through the ecologically rich Beaver Meadow will be added. An additional bridge spanning the ravine will be added to allow users to access more areas of the park.
The property will serve as a hub of the Appalachian Ohio Pollinator Trail. A sculpture of Jane Watt welcoming passengers on the Underground Railroad near the barn will be added as well as other smaller sculptures throughout the property.
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