After making a fortune in the early 1900s in the paper industry, Otto Behrend bought 100 acres of land south of Erie, PA to be used as a country retreat and a working farm with horses and dairy cattle, fields planted in corn, hay, wheat and oats and orchards producing apples, cherries, pears and peaches. When he died in 1957 the farm and his cottage were bequeathed to the Millcreek Township School District. An addition was added to the cottage in 2005 which allowed expansion of the nature center exhibits and classrooms.
One small room houses the exhibits. The rest of the center has classrooms with programs for kids of all ages and adults too. The farmland which is now forest includes 4.5 miles of trail.
The center is accessible but do not try to go over the little bridge in the inside exhibits. It is dangerously steep. The short boardwalk trail outside is accessible. The trails that loop off of the center parking lot and the boardwalk trail are hard packed dirt with minimal obstacles like small roots and short slopes. These trail are accessible with help. The rest of the trails in the woods are marked as moderate or difficult.
RVs will fit in the lot if parked across the spaces. Woods 42.06121, -80.17256
So the farm has returned to forestland. Good on him that he bequeathed all to the Millcreek Township School District, and they now have classrooms for everyone.
ReplyDeleteIt appears to a great resource for the school system and the local community.
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