A late-night fire destroyed a storage facility at Freeman's Farm on Lewis Center Road, forcing Genoa Township to close the historic park until further notice while investigators determine the cause.
Crews responded to the fire around 10:45 p.m. Aug. 24, at 6142 Lewis Center Rd., according to 10TV. The Genoa Township Fire Department said the building housed township-owned snowplows and other large machinery. No dollar estimate for the lost equipment has been released.
The farm's historic barn was not damaged.
Genoa Township updated its official website Tuesday to confirm the closure, changing the Freeman's Farm page title to "closed for fire investigation." The township has not announced a timeline for reopening or named a suspect. The cause remains under investigation.
The township has scheduled its annual Fall Fest for Saturday, Oct. 24, at the farm. Officials have not said whether the closure will affect the event. Fall Fest is a community tradition that Genoa Township lists alongside its Bunny Trail and Celebrate the Season gatherings.
Genoa Township acquired the nearly 44-acre property on Jan. 31, 2025, using a Clean Ohio Fund grant that requires the land to remain a nature preserve. Five generations of the Freeman family had owned the farm since 1868, and the property's acreage was reduced over time by the construction of Interstate 71. Trustee Mark Antonetz called it "a beloved historic property" in the township's Spring 2025 newsletter, listing its preservation as a highlight of the prior year.
The Parks Advisory Committee had been working to amend the Parks Master Plan with a vision for passive recreation at the site.
Residents with information about the fire can contact the Genoa Township Fire Department or Police Chief James McMillin's office.
