Bessie Benner Metzenbaum Park is a 65-acre tract located in Chester Township. Wildlife is attracted to the park’s diverse habitats and visitors of all abilities and interests find much to enjoy. It is Geauga Park District’s intent to protect this natural area in perpetuity.

James Metzenbaum discovered a 100-acre parcel in Chester Township in the 1940s. He purchased it as a memorial to his wife, Bessie Benner Metzenbaum, who had died several years earlier. He deeded the land to the Bessie Benner Metzenbaum Foundation, and it was used by various children’s organizations, including the Girl Scouts and the YMCA. Later, in 1965, the Metzenbaum School was constructed. In 1991, the Metzenbaum Foundation donated 65 of the wooded acres to Geauga Park District. After improvements were made, the park opened a year later.