What started in 1921 in an effort to encourage forestry, conserve natural resources, and protect the comfort and welfare of the citizens of Summit County has, in ninety years, grown into one of the largest and most popular metropolitan park districts in Ohio. Today, Metro Parks, Serving Summit County, manages 10,000 acres, including 13 developed parks, six conservation areas, and more than 120 miles of trails, with 21.5 miles of the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail. Annual attendance averages 4.5 million visitors. Since 2007, author Sarah Vradenburg, a former editorial writer for the Akron Beacon Journal, has studied archives, interviewed park visitors ,and hiked with current and former staff to help share a people-oriented history of the park district. The book contains historic and current photos, including a signature photograph of each open park at the time of publication. A review of the park district's directors and commissioners, from 1921 to the present, is also included.