Cottage Tours on Offer at First Fall Event at Historic Epworth Park | News, sports, jobs

Photo by: Josie Burkhart

Co-chair Judy Frizzi is ready to show off the cottages during the first-ever Epworth Park fall event on Oct. 19 from 1 to 5 p.m. at Epworth Park in Bethesda.

Historic cottages will be open for tours during the first fall event at Epworth Park in Bethesda.

The venue hosts “A Walk in the Park” event, where 12 Victorian cottages can be viewed. Visitors can also enjoy items like Frizzi’s pepperoni rolls, dishes from Soup Shack in Wheeling, smoked pulled pork sandwiches, desserts and more. The food can be picked up and taken home. Visitors are also served cups of hot apple cider.

The event will be held Oct. 19 from 1 to 5 p.m. at Epworth Park, 215 N. Main St. in Bethesda. The rain date is October 20th. Tickets can be purchased at epworthpark.org or at the concession stand on the day of the tour.

“This is a unique environment that no one knows exists in Belmont County, let alone the state of Ohio,” said June Diehl, a member of the Epworth Park Foundation.

Visitors can view the interiors of cottages built in the late 1890s and early 1900s.

Founded in 1870 as a Methodist campground, Epworth Park was considered a place of spiritual community, instruction and renewal. Camp meetings were held in the park, attended by 10,000 to 15,000 people. The need for conference accommodation and accommodation for participants grew. People from surrounding towns built the huts people see today.

A hotel was also built during this time, but it has since been demolished. The Auditorium in the Park, which now serves as a venue for concerts, graduation ceremonies and weddings, was also built around the same time.

The holiday homes in the park are privately owned and are sold through the owner. A number of cottages will be available for sale at the event.

Diehl, co-chair of the event, said the reason for the event was because many people showed interest in the cottages and wanted to see the inside. The Epworth Foundation held a meet and greet in July which sparked many people’s interest in viewing the cottages. The event is also a fundraiser for the Epworth Foundation.

“This will be an opportunity that we could use as a fundraiser and get people to see exactly who and what we look like here and what we do here … and learn a little bit more about the park,” Diehl said .

The purpose of this event is to educate people about the park and the cottages, as many people don’t know they exist. Diehl said many people have never heard of it because most cottages have been owned for generations.

Diehl said the Epworth Foundation must ensure the park remains vibrant and vibrant.

“We need youth. We need new ideas, new perspectives, engagement and commitment,” she said. “It’s kind of like a closed community, everyone knows everyone and we’re all willing to help.”

Diehl described the park as a “hidden gem.” She also described it as a place of serenity and calm.

The park will be added to the National Register of Historic Places next spring. Diehl said that in itself deserves recognition.

Diehl and co-chair Judy Frizzi said they love being at the park and live in their own cottages part of the year. They said the park hosts a Chautauqua weekend in the summer with events, vendors, food and music. They wanted to try something different for fall.

The two want to expand the event musically next year and make it bigger, but want to keep the event simple for now.

“Right now we just want to keep it simple and make it easy for the cabin owners who are here and participating,” Diehl said. “We’re just trying to spread the word because we would really love for people to see and share with us what we experience every day.”

Frizzi said people should look forward to this event because most fall festivals around the Ohio Valley have come to an end, but many people still enjoy the fall weather.

“It’s just our love for Epworth. It’s hard to put into words. We like to show it and are very proud of it,” said Diehl. “And I think our goal is to not only get people to make money or fundraise, but also to share this little hidden gem with them.”