By 1808Delaware
Preservation Parks of Delaware County will celebrate the grand opening of McCammon Creek Park and the newly renovated Delaware County Bicentennial Barn on Saturday, Aug. 22, from 10:00 AM to noon. The community open house will give visitors their first opportunity to explore the 248-acre park in Orange Township, tour the restored barn and see how a project more than a decade in the making has brought together conservation, recreation and local history.
“This is a moment that has been at least 10 years in the making,” said Mary Van Haaften, executive director of Preservation Parks. “It began with acquiring the first piece of property and continued with restoring native habitats, building trails, and completing the renovation of the Bicentennial Barn for the community to enjoy.”
A morning of exploration
Visitors will be able to tour the barn and its new annex, hike the park’s new trails with Preservation Parks staff and view historical displays presented by Gallant Farm. The celebration will also include farm and history-themed activities, light refreshments and hands-on encounters with animals from Bring the Farm to You, a local business that introduces families to farm animals.
The scheduled activities will conclude at noon, but the barn will remain open until 4:00 PM for self-guided tours.
Connecting the pieces of a new park
McCammon Creek Park encompasses woodlands, restored stream corridors, prairies and trails across three areas. McCammon Creek Park North opened in 2024. The new Barn Area and McCammon Creek Park East expand the public space and its recreational possibilities. Orange Township’s multi-use trail system connects all three sections, allowing visitors to travel between them on foot or by bicycle.
“Amid our growing county, this land has been preserved for future generations to explore nature and appreciate a treasured piece of Delaware County history,” Van Haaften said.
The park’s 248 acres were acquired between 2015 and 2024 with funding from Clean Ohio Greenspace grants and Preservation Parks levy funds.
An Ohio landmark preserved
At the heart of the new park stands the Delaware County Bicentennial Barn, built during the early 1900s. The structure became one of Ohio’s 88 Bicentennial Barns in 1999, when artist Scott Hagan painted it with the Ohio Bicentennial logo in anticipation of the state’s 200th birthday in 2003. The barn was chosen in part because of its prominent location along Interstate 71. Former owner Bob Postle believes its visibility has made it one of the most frequently photographed Bicentennial Barns in Ohio.
Bob and Sue McCammon Postle donated the barn to Preservation Parks in 2019. The renovated building has been named in honor of Jim and Gay McCammon.
Earlier this month, Hagan returned to repaint the Bicentennial logo, renewing the image he first placed on the barn more than a quarter-century ago.
Old craftsmanship meets new uses
Construction began in 2025 with the goal of preserving the barn’s defining historic features. Those include its Vermont green slate roof, cupola, original wood siding, hand-hewn beams and traditional timber-frame construction. The project also added a modern annex with a service kitchen, accessible restrooms, a universal changing station, storage and office space. Lower-level classrooms will eventually accommodate educational programs. The barn includes an event and meeting hall named for former Congressman Patrick J. Tiberi, a lobby honoring Kokosing and a welcome entry named for the Kaplan Family.
The $4.68 million project also covered utilities, sitework, sidewalks, a patio and construction of the annex. Equity Construction Solutions of Hilliard completed the work.
Funding came from a One-Time Strategic Community Investments Grant awarded through Gov. Mike DeWine and the Ohio General Assembly, private contributions raised by the Preservation Parks Foundation and Preservation Park District funds.
“We are thankful for the support of our community and the dedicated work of the Preservation Parks Foundation for raising awareness and funds to support this project,” Van Haaften said. “This public/private partnership supplements tax dollars and helps support and enhance the work we do every day.”
Planning a visit
Event parking will be available at three locations:
- McCammon Creek Park Barn Area, 6840 Bale Kenyon Road
- McCammon Creek Park East Area, 7093 Bale Kenyon Road
- McCammon Creek Park North Area, 3675 E. Orange Road
Visitors are encouraged to use the Orange Township multi-use trail system to explore all three areas of the park.
