Saturday, April 7, 2012

G is for Glenwood Gardens


Glenwood Gardens is a 335-acre park located in the northern suburbs of Cincinnati, and it is part of the Hamilton County Park District.  I have to admit I'd never even heard of Glenwood until I came across it while looking for something to use for "G," but I'm glad to have discovered it because it's really a beautiful place.

The park contains a 1 mile paved trail as well as a longer nature trail called a Wetland Loop. Clancy and I were short on time when we visited, so we just stuck with the paved trail.

I loved this arch at the start of the trail, as well as its accompanying building, the Cotswold Visitor Centre. I am a total Anglophile, so just the name Cotswold made me smile.



As we walked along the trail, we came upon this bridge that I liked the look of, and also found quite interesting.



The bridge was built in the early 20th century, when the park was farmland, and is made of indigenous stone from the bedrock of Southwestern Ohio, along with granite boulders left behind by the glaciers. Apparently, Ordovician fossils are plentiful in the bridge. In addition, a hill near the bridge, which I assumed was nothing more than one of the rolling hills that are so typical of this area, is actually a mound believed to have been built by either the Adena or Hopewell peoples of the Woodland era.

It was interesting to discover that what I thought was a brand new park actually has a great deal of history behind it.

When Clancy and I visited it was still too early in March for the park's gardens to be in bloom, but I've no doubt they are stunning. I plan to make a return trip later in the spring so I can see Glenwood at its best.

With that, I'm thrilled to have finished the first week of the A-Z Challenge! To my fellow A-Zers, kudos to everyone for a great first week. I admit I've had some trouble keeping up with my blog visits and also checking in with new blogs, but I'm hoping I will be more organized next week.

Happy Easter and Happy Passover to all who celebrate, and happy weekend to everyone! 

22 comments:

  1. I've never been there. Are you doing Serpent Mound for S?

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  2. That looks beautiful - lucky find! Just my sort of place :-) LindaK

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  3. Isn't it amazing how we can live someplace for so long and still not know some of the hidden treasures around us.

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  4. I love your many views of Cincinnati - what a great way to do the A to Z
    hope I can visit one day

    our G was Guerre

    Happy Easter

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  5. A beautiful G -- thanks for taking the time to visit and share with us. A trip later with the flowers in bloom would be an ah moment.

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  6. A wonderful and scenic G post.

    Yvonne.

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  7. Cotswold made me smile too. Beautiful place. And isn't it fun when you discover a new gem so close to home?

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  8. My Midwest never looked at pretty as your Midwest. You're making me homesick. :)

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  9. That is so pretty and made all the better for the history that surrounds it. Thanks for sharing. Since I'm not that far from Cincinnati I'll have to check it out:)

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  10. really beautiful, Julie. I love that photo of the bridge with those flower pots in the middle (although seems it can be tricky when it's dark) and the arch as well. looks so peaceful.

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  11. Hi Julie .. looks a good park for a walk - especially with the two choices. I'll look forward to reading your blog post on the longer nature trail in due course ..

    I like the A - Z .. as we can learn things about a subject we have no idea about .. your Cincinnatti G and its history and my British Castles ..

    Congratulations on week one - Happy Easter .. cheers Hilary

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  12. How pretty. I love the fact that the challenge helped you find somewhere new :-)

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  13. I might actually be able to get there some time, occasionally going to that area. Nice post. I'm trying to visit all the A-Z Challenge Blogs this month.

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  14. Looks beautiful and quite peaceful!

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  15. How beautiful the redbuds are that are in bloom there! Thank you for the lovely pictures. Best regards to you. Ruby

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  16. I'm visiting from the A to Z challenge. The place looks tranquil and really beautiful...
    Guess what? The suburb I live in is also named Glenwood!

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  17. @Tonja, oh, no, but I did go to Serpent Mound last year. I loved it there!

    @Linda, thanks, mine too. :)

    @Tim, thanks!

    @Emily, I'm looking forward to going back there.

    @Alex, yeah, I'm finding that more and more, it's strange!

    @ladysknight, thank you! I hope you had a great holiday as well.

    @Kittie, yeah, I hope so. We'll see this summer. Thanks!

    @Yvonne, thank you!

    @LG, I'm anxious to see if you have any posts from your time in the Cotswolds. Hope you had a safe trip home!

    @Em, I think I've had some lucky days here. It's usually never this pretty LOL.

    @Deana, oh, if you do I hope you like it. Thanks!

    @Cecilia, that's a good point, I don't think I'd want to be there in the dark LOL. Thanks!

    @Hilary, I agree, it is fun to learn about places we've never been, I love it. Congrats to you too!

    @Sarah, me too, thanks.

    @Sharkbytes, hi, thanks for visiting! Great to meet you.

    @Rae, it was, thanks!

    @Ruby, oh, thank you, best wishes to you as well!

    @Michelle, oh, that's funny. Thanks for coming by, it's great to meet you.

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  18. What a pretty place! It's absolutely beautiful. I wished I live somewhere close enough to go visit it. I'll have to check it out if I make it over that way one day though. I love seeing places like this. :)

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  19. The photographs are beautiful Julie. I hope you've had a lovely weekend.

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  20. @Leigh, it really is a gorgeous park, I'm anxious to go back. Thank you!

    @Rebecca, thanks, I did and I hope you had a great weekend as well. :)

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