About the Trail

"The Past"

1817 - John Hilliard born in Piqua

1849  - Nine men unite to build Columbus, Piqua, and Indiana Railroads

1850 - Work Starts

1852 - John Hilliard purchased land from High and Wendell

1853 - July 4 - first train went through Pleasant Valley (Plain City)

         - No ribbon cutting; no news items

         - Track gauge (Ohio) 4'10"

        - Fare: $ .28

1856  - Went into receivership

1859 - An Indiana company finished the line

1863 - Columbus - Indianapolis

1864 - Columbus - Indianapolis Central Railroad

1867  - Columbus - Indiana

1869 - Panhandle Line leased the line

1893 - First Station Built - 3 box cars

1895 - Second Station Built

1901 - John Hilliard Dies in Peoria, IL (age 84)

1921 - Leased to Pennsylvania Railroad for 999 years

1968 - Penn Central

1984 - Rails abandoned

"The Present"

1992  - Heritage Rail-Trail Coalition formed

1993  - 501©(3) status granted

        - Fundraising begins for purchase of Conrail property

        - Coalition receives $20,000 grant from the Columbus Foundation

        - City of Hilliard purchases first 1.2 miles from George Yokam, with

           assistance from Washington and Norwich Townships

1994   - Heritage Rail-Trail Coalition completes a $60,000 fundraising drive

          for purchase and surveying of Conrail property

1995  - Five miles of property is purchased from Conrail

        - Ribbon Cutting and Dedication Ceremony for the first mile of the

          Heritage Trail (May 26, 1995)

1996  - Heritage Rail-Trail Coalition donates to Hilliard the portion of the

           trail from Cosgray Road to Hayden Run Road

1997 - Ribbon Cutting and Dedication Ceremony for the second mile of the

           Heritage Trail (June 28, 1997)

1999 - Heritage Rail-Trail Coalition donates the portion of the trail from

                          Hayden Run Road to Cemetary Pike to the Franklin County Metro

                          Parks.

2000 - Franklin County Metro Parks begins improvements to the trail.

2001 - Franklin County Metro Parks begins construction of the staging area

           at Hayden Run Road.

(History compiled by the late Mary Miller and Tom Katzenmeyer)