Alice Bish Park

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Last Updated: December 5, 2025

Alice Bish Park is a public park located in the city of Marion, Ohio.


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Summary

The park is named after Alice Bish, a local philanthropist who donated the land to the city to be used as a park.

There are several good reasons to visit Alice Bish Park. The park offers a variety of recreational activities, including hiking trails, fishing, and picnicking. Visitors can also enjoy the park's playgrounds, basketball courts, and tennis courts.

One point of interest to see in Alice Bish Park is the Veterans Memorial Walkway, which honors Marion County veterans who have served in the armed forces. The park also has several historic structures, including a log cabin and a schoolhouse, which have been restored and preserved for visitors to see.

Interesting facts about Alice Bish Park include that it was once a popular location for horse racing and that it was the site of a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp during the Great Depression. The park has also been used as a filming location for several movies and TV shows, including "The Shawshank Redemption."

The best time of year to visit Alice Bish Park is during the spring and summer months, when the weather is warm and the park's trees and flowers are in bloom. However, the park is open year-round and offers different activities depending on the season, such as sledding and ice skating in the winter.

Overall, Alice Bish Park is a beautiful and historic park that offers a variety of recreational activities and points of interest for visitors to enjoy.

       

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Park & Land Designation Reference

National Park
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
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