Mill Race Park was known as "Death Valley" back in the early 1960's when I was a kid living on Center Street, and was most likely the poorest part of Columbus. Many people called Death Valley their home. White River called it home as well, and claimed the ground on many occasions with its cold dark waters flooding homes and running
residents to higher ground. Rosie, our babysitter, lived there. Trips were made to pick up Rosie and take her to our house. I'm sure many a story lay in wait of telling from the residents who resided in this area...Today, Mill Race Park is one of my most favorite places in Columbus. It is also one of my kids' favorite Columbus hangout as well. It has stood silently in browns and greens throughout the seasons and watched my kids go from diapers to dvd's and watched my hair go from brown to gray. Mill Race is host to numerous music events in the summer months in its outdoor theatre, and offers picnic areas, horseshoes, fishing, and don't forget to climb the tower for a bird's eye view of Columbus...Mill Race Timeline: 1963 and Before--Death Valley, WW Mooney Tannery; 5/16/63: Fund Raiser to raise $145,000 for purchase of 66 acres; Fall/1964: Roadway laid and underbrush cleared; 6/66: $18,500 raised to move Clifty Creek bridge to the park; 1967: A steam-powered locomotive brought in as a tourist attraction. Suffered from lack of interest as well as many mechanical problems, and was removed; 1969: outdoor theatre built; destroyed by high winds 6 years later; 9/79: Skopos, by Richard Bauer, dedicated; 1979: two shelter houses, playground added; 1979--1992: round lake added, as well as additional structures and landscape redesigned. 1979--1989: The original Clifty Creek bridge was destroyed by fire. The city of Columbus aquired another covered bridge from Eagle Creek Reservior in Indianapolis, which originally came from Liberty Indiana. The park opened in 1992...

  Mill Race Park was known as "Death Valley" back in the early 1960's when I was a kid living on Center Street, and was most likely the poorest part of Columbus. Many people called Death Valley their home. White River called it home as well, and claimed the ground on many occasions with its cold dark waters flooding homes and running
residents to higher ground. Rosie, our babysitter, lived there. Trips were made to pick up Rosie and take her to our house. I'm sure many a story lay in wait of telling from the residents who resided in this area...Today, Mill Race Park is one of my most favorite places in Columbus. It is also one of my kids' favorite Columbus hangout as well. It has stood silently in browns and greens throughout the seasons and watched my kids go from diapers to dvd's and watched my hair go from brown to gray. Mill Race is host to numerous music events in the summer months in its outdoor theatre, and offers picnic areas, horseshoes, fishing, and don't forget to climb the tower for a bird's eye view of Columbus...