Most recently used by the Cleveland Girl Scouts as Camp Crowell Hilaka, the Richfield Heritage Preserve (RHP) is a 336-acre hidden treasure located in Richfield, Ohio that still has camp buildings as well as the storybook homes built by the Neal family, known as North House, Coach House and Amity House.

​​Another part of the preserve once belonged to James Kirby, who amassed over 160 patents and is best known for his washing machines and vacuum cleaners. ​​The Kirby family home still remains, along with its water-powered millwheel that produced hydroelectric power for his home and workshop overlooking the lake, designed and patented by Kirby to keep clear water all year.

​​Kirby sold the estate to the Cleveland Girl Scout Council in 1937, and the Girl Scouts purchased the remainder of the property from the Neals in 1957. The camp was officially closed in December 2011, and in 2014 the voters of Richfield Village and Richfield Township approved a bond issue to purchase the Crowell Hilaka property along with a levy for operations. The Richfield Joint Recreation District (RJRD) administers and operates the property. In 2016, the property was renamed Richfield Heritage Preserve.

We will meet in the parking area near Gund Hall and make our way from there. The trails are mostly old gravel roads and generally flat and wide so this will be a leisurely hike. We will go from Gund Hall down to Lower Lake, then back along Hilltop Road to Storybook Trail and then down Gemini Road to the Neal houses.

For more information: https://www.richfieldheritagepreserve.com/

This event is open to Social and Professional members. Registration required.

Meeting Point Coordinates: https://www.google.com/maps/place/41%C2%B014'57.1%22N+81%C2%B040'26.4%22W/@41.2491214,-81.674495,259m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x0:0x0!7e2!8m2!3d41.2492014!4d-81.6740066

COVID-19: Guests will need to complete a standard questionnaire upon arrival and pass a wireless temperature screening.