08/18/2026
The sheep are grazing at Perry Park!
Perry Park, a 22-acre park established in 1979 and dedicated in 1983, sits on land that reflects both Worthington’s agricultural heritage and its later suburban growth. Unlike much of Worthington, this area was not part of the original Scioto Company purchase of 1803. Instead, it remained in Perry Township until being annexed into the City of Worthington in 1974.
Throughout the nineteenth century and into the mid-twentieth century, the land that now includes Perry Park and the Potter’s Creek neighborhood was active farmland. Generations of farmers cultivated the property, helping define the rural character of Perry Township.
A significant chapter in the land’s history began in 1945 when Ruth Potter purchased 72 acres that would eventually become both Perry Park and Potter’s Creek. A Denison University graduate, Potter joined the family business, Potter Lumber, and later succeeded her father, Howard Potter, as president. Founded in 1913 near Worthington’s railroad tracks, Potter Lumber became one of the city’s best-known businesses. Ruth was also active in community organizations, including the Worthington Methodist Church, the Worthington Library Board, and Wesley Glen Retirement Center.
More than thirty years later, the farm began its transformation. In 1977, Ruth’s nephew, Steve Potter, partnered with Betts Builders to develop Potter’s Creek, Worthington’s westernmost subdivision. The neighborhood retained connections to its agricultural past through street names such as Meadow Brook Circle, Ravine Circle, and Lakeside Circle. An existing farm pond was expanded into the lake that remains a central feature of the community.
As development proceeded, a portion of the former Potter farm was preserved for public use. That land became Perry Park, providing recreation and open green space while honoring the site’s rural heritage. Today, visitors enter the park through the Potter’s Creek neighborhood, linking the park to the farmland from which it originated and preserving an important connection to Worthington’s agricultural past.
