Kirby's Mill Lake Jinelle

Kirby's Mill Lake Jinelle

One of Ohio's Hidden Treasure's is now owned by the Richfield Heritage Preserve

What was once Camp Crowell Hilaka, a vast 336 acres of winding streams, lakes, forests, and waterfalls has only recently been made available for all public access.

Prior to being purchased by the Richfield Heritage Preserve, this had been closed off from the public for over 75 years.

It was once farmed by the pioneer Oviatt family and then became the estate of inventor Jim Kirby. During the 1920s Kirby constructed a patented lake, a mill to generate electric power, a house air-conditioned with spring water, and a dance hall built on springs. Upstream, the Neal family built their fairy tale houses and operated a thriving fruit farm. The land was purchased by the Cleveland Girl Scouts in 1937 and enclosed for the protection of the girls.

In 2015, the property was purchased by the citizens of Richfield. It has been transformed into a park for public enjoyment.​

Richfield Heritage Preserve is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Crowell Hilaka Historic District.

"The famous inventor Jim Kirby is was an American inventor and self-taught electrical engineer who focused his career on "eliminating the drudgery of housework". He is known mostly for inventing the Kirby vacuum cleaner and the wringerless washing machine"  -  from Wikipedia