Whetstone Park--Columbus Park of Roses

Whetstone Park--Columbus Park of Roses

Columbus, Ohio 43214

Whetstone Park Official Website

About Whetstone Park

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Whetstone Park, just north of The Ohio State University, is a community park and landmark for the Clintonville neighborhood that encompasses over 136 acres for both active and passive use.

Originally a family farm in the early 1800s, the land was purchased by Columbus mayor James A. Rhodes in 1944 and converted into a park for Victory Gardens during World War II. Over 500 Victory Gardens were planted throughout the duration of the war, and on Memorial Day 1950, the land was christened Whetstone Park.

Today, Whetstone Park is a community park that combines natural beauty, native Ohio prairie, and community amenities. The park has a large community center that provides classes from tots to seniors, meeting rooms, and free space. The park has youth and adult sports leagues, fishing, trails, playgrounds, and natural areas. The Park of Roses is a park within the park, a 13-acre rose garden that showcases over 350 varieties of roses, and 11,000 total roses. A recent addition, the Whetstone Prairie, planted in May 2004, converted 5.1 acres of Whetstone Park into native Ohio prairie with vernal pools and woodland buffer. This site is used as a key educational and demonstration site that includes walking trails, viewing stations, information signage, and an educational program.

Content from Whetstone Park Official Website