Tourism in Barberton circa 1912

From 1909 until O. C. Barber's death in 1920, Barberton had tourism. Each Sunday the Farm was open from April through October for visitors and people flocked to see it from all over Ohio and neighboring states. The above photo shows a typical Sunday afternoon on the Anna Dean Farm. Notice the Model T's lined up Anna Dean Lane. Tourists were given free reign to walk around the Anna Dean Farm and were even allowed to peak in the windows of the Mansion, but the tourists were not allowed to enter any of the buildings or interfere with the livestock.


Tourism in Barberton
click the links below for more information

 

It has always been the contention of the Barberton Historical Society that Barberton could again be a tourist attraction, just as it was from 1909 to 1920. Some of the Anna Dean Farm barns and outbuildings remain, and we are working very hard to restore what is left. You weren't allowed to go into the Anna Dean Farm buildings when the Farm was open for tourists. We can go one better than they used to. On Saturday's you will find the Society members working on the Barns, during the warm weather months. You can stop by, pick up a brochure from us and take a self guided tour of the Farm. If we are at one of the barns we will be happy to let you walk through.

We still have Lake Anna and we have a great historic district downtown by the Lake. There are great places to shop, three restored theaters, concerts to see, and more than a few great places to eat. Our public library has a great history room, and is a great place to relax and catch up on your reading. Our library is right on the shores of Lake Anna, which is the perfect place for a picnic lunch.

SO who says we can't have tourism again in Barberton? In 1974 we were told that we were crazy for trying to save Barn No 1. Today Barn No. 1 houses the corporate offices of Aris Horticulture, Inc., and the nay sayers that said we were doomed to fail are all gone. Below are our preliminary links for tourism. If you have any ideas we would love to hear them. Just email us at Barbertonhistsoc@aol.com.

Before visiting Barberton please consider visiting this page of our website to see what is new and old and excitedly different about Barberton.


 
  © 2017 Barberton Historical Society.  Anna Dean Farm™ is a registered Trademark of the Barberton Historical Society, all rights reserved.