Malabar Farm State Park
A section of the Big House at Malabar Farm in Richland County Ohio
Several state parks sit within an hour north of Columbus. Delaware State Park, Mt. Gilead, Mohican, and Malabar Farm, to name a few. Malabar has been on my list for a very long time. It’s super close to Mohican so visiting both in the same day was very do-able! If you’ve never been to this part of Ohio, it’s the definition of rolling hills. Malabar Farm was once the home of Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Louis Bromfield and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. I have to admit, I hadn’t heard of Bromfield before my visit—but to be fair, I’m not exactly a literary buff.
One of the key features is The Big House. Originally a farmhouse, Bromfield expanded the residence into a 32-room manor in the 1940s. At times, the Big House even hosted famous movie stars. The Big House is also open to tour for an admission cost. The Main Barn houses a few of the farm’s animals (yes, its a real working farm) and the upper floor can even be rented as an event venue for weddings. Definitely bring the kiddos to this one because they’re sure to be charmed by the baby goats and piglets.
After exploring the grounds a bit more, we decided to check out the Butternut Hiking trail. To our surprise, the trailhead was right next to a designated movie site part of The Shawshank Trail. The Pugh Cabin, built on the property in the 40s, was used in the opening scenes of 1994’s The Shawshank Redemption. I knew some of the movie was shot in Mansfield at the Ohio State Reformatory but I had no idea that other scenes were shot elsewhere in Ohio. The site of the oak tree where Andy buries his infamous letter to Red was also nearby, though the tree itself is no longer standing. It was on private property, anyway. I found it so strange that these film sites aren’t mentioned on the state park’s website at all. It was a really neat surprise for any film buff. On the trail, we didn’t get too far before veering off into a small cave, which made for some epic photos and right at the entrance we stumbled upon an Acadian flycatcher nesting. A first for this birder!
To wrap up our trip we checked out the visitor center full of interactive exhibits for kiddos and a huge gift shop offering a variety of farm/eco-friendly related goods and products made at the farm itself. We snagged a few maple syrup bottles for gifts. Oh and we made sure to say hello to Poncho, their resident parrot. On our way out, we drove up to the top of Mt Jeez, a hill overlooking the farm, and took in the views. We definitely chose a gorgeous day to visit. We hope to come back next time we’re in the area!
Happy Wandering!
