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Exploring Malabar Farm & Mohican State Parks

Blog Date
Author(s)
Julie Smith
Stuart O. Smith, Jr.
Tags
Travel
History
Farm Park
Museums

August 31, 2024, Stuart, Julie, and Mike tour Malabar Farm State Park.
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On Saturday, August 31, 2024, we had a great time with our son, Michael, learning about the history of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Malabar Farm State Park. At the farm, we went on both the Big House tour and the farm tour. The farm tour consisted of a narrated ride around the farm property on a tractor-pulled wagon. We then visited the many animals in the Main Barn.

After an enjoyable morning at Malabar Farm, we then had lunch at the Mohican Lodge and explored some of Mohican State Park.

We put together this blog post to share with others our photos from the day and links to park resources. It brings us joy to add this trip to our other travel blog posts. This fun and interesting day was like having a mini-vacation!

 

 

Malabar Farm Big House & Visitors Center

The Big House at Malabar Farm
Historic Site #22

In the rolling countryside of Richland County, Louis Bromfield, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and dedicated conservationist, created his dream — Malabar Farm. In 1938, he purchased three worn-out farms and turned them into thriving farmland, now known collectively as Malabar Farm. It became a place of learning and a country retreat for Hollywood celebrities like Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall (who were married inside the Big House between the double staircase in 1945.) Inspired by his love of the land, Bromfield restored the rich fertility of the farmlands and preserved the woodlands' beauty.

"The Big House," as Bromfield fondly referred to his dwelling, began with a small existing farmhouse as a base and was enlarged into this 32-room home. The house, designed by both architect Louis Lamoreux and Bromfield, is a blend of Western Reserve architectural styles and was built to appear as if it had been added to over the years. Bromfield furnished the house predominantly in a French style with the original paintings and antiques collected during his world travels. The Big House was always full of local and out of town guests, and home to various pets, including a rowdy batch of boxer dogs.

After the release of Bromfield's widely successful book, Pleasant Valley, many people considered Malabar Farm to be an almost magical place. In this book, Bromfield wrote, "Perhaps one day it will belong to the state together with the hills, valleys, and woods of Malabar Farm." Bromfield's prophecy came true in August 1972, when the State of Ohio accepted the deed to Malabar Farm. The state pledged to preserve the beauty and ecological value of the farm.

Today, the Big House uses geothermal technology for heating, cooling, and humidification. This system helps preserve the contents of the house. Visitors can take guided tours of the Big House throughout the year to learn about the history and philosophies that originated at Malabar. There is a nominal fee for house tours. Contact the park for hours and fees.

Malabar Farm State Park Located in Pleasant Valley of Richland County, Malabar Farm is representative of the diversity of the glaciated Appalachian Plateau region and was the dream of sustainable agriculture for the Pulitzer Prize-winning author and conservationist, Louis Bromfield. The park has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1973.

Today, visitors can see the Farm, tour the Big House . . .

. . .

Tours of the Big House available April-December: This guided museum tour of the Bromfield family home lasts 75 to 90 minutes; it is not recommended for small children.

Cost: $6 Adult; $5.40 Seniors; $4 Youth; no charge for children 5 and under.

. . .

Exhibits in the Louis Bromfield Visitor Education Center include topics in agriculture, wildlife, energy, conservation, recycling, and literature through interactive displays. offers an informative and interactive experience on topics in agriculture, wildlife, soil and water conservation, maple syrup production. Excerpts from some of Louis Bromfield’s literary works guide you through the exhibit hall.

Visitor Center Hours: Open year around, 9am-5pm. Enjoy the newly remodeled exhibit hall.

The Gift Shop offers great Malabar Farm products as well as Ohio-made products for sale. It also features Malabar Farm souvenirs, freshly made fudge, snacks, and refreshments in addition to Louis Bromfield books and memorabilia. We offer an expanded line of book titles on sustainability, nature, agriculture, and natural living.

Our Malabar Farm Big House & Visitors Center Photos

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Please feel free to pause the video to read the interesting facts and enjoy the views that are in the slides!!

 

 

Malabar Farm Wagon Tour & Main Barn

. . . As a working farm, you can meet a variety of animals raised on the farm, and also browse Malabar farm products available for purchase. The hills are contoured with strips of small grain crops and hay, while the scenic trails are adorned with nature's bounty.

. . .

Farm Tours available May-October: This guided tour lasts 45 to 60 minutes. Wagons are used for larger groups; a golf cart is used for groups of 4 or fewer. WEATHER PERMITTING.

Cost: $3 Adults & Youth; $2.70 for Seniors; no charge for children 5 and under.

Main Barn
The Main Barn houses some of Malabar’s furry friends. You will find goats, sheep, cattle, horses, and ponies along with rabbits and our resident barn cats. Spring brings newborn goat kids and lambs, and in summer, pigs add animal life to the barn. All ages welcome, free of charge, every day from 8am–5pm (occasionally times may vary).

Our Malabar Farm Tour & Main Barn Photos

We recommend viewing videos in full screen mode.
Please feel free to pause the video to enjoy the views that are in the slides!!

 

 

Mohican State Park

Mohican Lodge

Take a twilight owl hike, create the ultimate s'more, canoe along a lazy river or fly down rollercoaster-like terrain on your mountain bike. You'll find plenty to surprise you at Mohican State Park Lodge and Conference Center. Our diverse year-round activities and picturesque lakeside setting afford picture-perfect memories for your family, corporate team, church group or wedding party, while our attractive rates and value-added packages focus on helping you stay on budget.

Recreational Opportunities
. . . The Mohican State Park is located on the southern shore of the reservoir and provides numerous recreational opportunities on and around the Pleasant Hill Reservoir. Mohican State Park operates a lodge overlooking the southern shore in the bend of the reservoir.

. . .

Location
Pleasant Hill Lake is located on the Richland-Ashland County line, approximately 2 miles southwest of Perrysville. . . .

History
The Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD) owns Pleasant Hill Lake. The lake was constructed in 1938 by damming the Clear Fork Branch of the Mohican River. The lake was originally constructed primarily for flood control in the Muskingum River watershed. Today, recreation is one of the biggest public benefits. . . .

Links to Mohican State Park and related information:

Our Mohican State Park Photos

We recommend viewing videos in full screen mode.
Please feel free to pause the video to read the interesting facts and enjoy the views that are in the slides!!

Related Blog Posts

We always like to include a list of related blog posts that may be of interest to our readers.

Here are our ten past "Travel" blog posts:

We also want to welcome you to view our past blog posts with the following related tags:

  • "Farm Park" - three blog posts about events we attended at the Lake Metroparks Farmpark.

  • "History" - seven blog posts related to the subject of Cleveland's history, plus a blog post about the Cummings Center for the History of Psychology.

  • "Museums" - 88 blog posts about museum events we have attended.

This blog post about our tour of Malabar Farm State Park and exploring Mohican State Park is our eleventh "Travel" blog post. We welcome you to watch for future blog posts about our local activities and travels.