Neff Park

In the 1860’s or 70’s a stone dam was built on Yellow Springs Creek, in the hollow below the Grotto, to create a lake for Neff Hotel guests to boat and swim.  There was a boathouse situated directly below the Grotto, and a lighted path along the west side of the lake.  The old stone dam was washed away by a flood and replaced with a cement one. 

After the 1930’s, the lake became polluted with silt.  Swimming was no longer permitted and it became a popular ice skating location for Antioch students.  Around 1957 the lake was drained, in hopes of selling the silt to builders to fund repairs.  After the lake was drained, however, the silt was discovered to be only clay, and the repair plans fell through.  Even so, the legacy of the lake still lives on, with the old lake bed now one of the Glens’ largest wetlands.  

The Dance Pavilion once stood overlooking the north end of the lake, just south of Route 68.  William Neff built it in 1902 in hopes of increasing the popularity of the Neff Grounds Park.  Many dances were held there, and after the Neff Grounds Park changed ownership it was a roller skating rink for a short time. 

In 1954, the dance pavilion was torn down after being declared dangerous.  Some of the timber was used in constructing the first building at the Outdoor Education Center.  Remnants of a cement walkway that connected the train that followed the present day bike route, which runs along Route 68, to the Dance Pavilion still exist. 

Photographs courtesy of Antiochiana.

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