J. T. Huston - Dr. J.D. Brumbaugh Nature Center

J. T. Huston - Dr. J.D. Brumbaugh Nature Center 162-acre property owned by the University of Mount Union. Several miles of trails are open dawn to dusk daily. Visitors Center hours vary seasonally. The John T.
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Check our website for event information. Huston - Dr. John. D. Brumbaugh Nature Center was established thanks to a gift from Dr. John D. Brumbaugh. Dr. Brumbaugh donated the 109 acres that had been his grandfather's farm to then Mount Union College in December of 1986. The farm, located in Washington Township, Stark County, Ohio included old growth and second growth forest and a large bank barn. Dr. Brumbaugh also established a generous endowment to provide for the development of the area as a nature preserve and educational facility. The property was named The John T. Huston - Dr. John D. Brumbaugh Nature Center, in honor of both Dr. Brumbaugh and his grandfather, John Huston. It was Dr. Brumbaugh's wish that the area be used as a nature preserve for the education and enjoyment of all people and the area be developed in such a way as to lead visitors into an exploration of the outside environment. Today the Nature Center provides support for numerous classes at The University of Mount Union, welcomes thousands of school students to environmental education programs, creates opportunities for hundreds of people to give of themselves as volunteers and offers a place for reflection and nature study for any who choose to visit.

Summer Scholars presentations took place this afternoon in the Nature Center's pavilion. The Nature Center supported fou...
09/14/2026

Summer Scholars presentations took place this afternoon in the Nature Center's pavilion. The Nature Center supported four research projects this past summer with funding and resources as part of the Brumbaugh Scholars program. The University of Mount Union students and their faculty mentors spent the summer conducting research projects in the academic areas of theater, biology, and computer science. The Nature Center's Amy Miller also provided a summary of this summer's high school STEM programs and the visual arts and media programs for middle school students.

We would like to thank today's audience members for their support of the students and their scholarly research. We also thank the following students and their mentors for completing outstanding projects this summer and exceptional presentations this afternoon.

Lisa Bosley, Ilani Jones-Wallace, Emma Welch: The Forest Listens
-Mentor: Kevin P. Kern
Alfonso Cruz III: Deer Activity Patterns at the Huston-Brumbaugh Nature Center
-Mentor: Dr. Mike Zimmermann
Emily Owens: LandLore - A Mobile Field Guide for the Nature Center
-Mentor: Dr. Julie Butler
Adam Schlarb: Island Biogeography of Wetland Macroinvertebrates at the Huston-Brumbaugh Nature Center
-Mentor: Dr. Mike Zimmermann

Hosted in the Visitors Center pavilion, our summer scholars will be sharing presentations related to the research and pr...
09/11/2026

Hosted in the Visitors Center pavilion, our summer scholars will be sharing presentations related to the research and projects they completed this past summer. Presentations will be made by Mount Union students participating in the Brumbaugh Scholars Program. Topics include wetland colonization by aquatic invertebrates, development of a Nature Center app, White-tailed Deer at the Nature Center, and creating a theatre production at the Nature Center.

Additional presentations will be made about the high school summer science camp and middle school visual arts and media camp held this summer. Refreshments will be provided. No RSVP required - just show up!

After a rough evening last night, it was a very moody-looking morning this morning. All is fine around the Visitors Cent...
09/04/2026

After a rough evening last night, it was a very moody-looking morning this morning.

All is fine around the Visitors Center. If you find trail damage before we do, please send us a note so we can address the problem and get the trail open again. Phone calls, emails, or direct messages are good ways to get a hold of us.

Hope you all made it through the weather ok too!

September events at the Nature Center! Photography, music, summer research, and a family friendly bird quest - there's s...
09/04/2026

September events at the Nature Center!

Photography, music, summer research, and a family friendly bird quest - there's something for everyone this month!

Have you seen this artwork yet? Creativity and observation took center stage during the Nature to Studio: A Mixed Media ...
09/02/2026

Have you seen this artwork yet?

Creativity and observation took center stage during the Nature to Studio: A Mixed Media Summer Art Camp, which welcomed middle school students for an immersive artistic experience inspired by the natural environment. Students were encouraged to slow down, carefully observe the world around them, experiment with new materials, and discover that creativity often begins with curiosity. Throughout the camp, participants explored drawing, watercolor, photography, cyanotype printing, and mixed media techniques, allowing them to develop new artistic skills while discovering fresh ways of seeing and interpreting nature.

Nature to Studio was designed to provide middle school students with hands-on, professional-level art experiences while fostering an appreciation for both the creative process and the remarkable beauty of HBNC. By combining artistic exploration with close observation of the natural world, the program encouraged students to build confidence in their creative abilities while developing a deeper connection to their environment. Artwork created during the camp is currently on display at the Visitors Center and will remain exhibited through September 13.

The art programs were made possible through the generous support of the Sansom Foundation, with additional support from the John T. Huston-Dr. John D. Brumbaugh Nature Center and the University of Mount Union Department of Visual Arts & Media.

Funky fungi everywhere we look! The rain and humidity have created a flush of fungal fruiting bodies (say that fast thre...
08/20/2026

Funky fungi everywhere we look! The rain and humidity have created a flush of fungal fruiting bodies (say that fast three times 🤪) over the past few weeks. Fungi are incredibly diverse. Drop a mushroom pic in the comments to show us what's been popping up near you!

08/13/2026

It is so wet on the forest floor, some critters are seeking refuge above ground. This small Eastern Milksnake was observed climbing a dead ash tree yesterday afternoon. Normally residing under logs, rocks, or leaf litter, this little one turned into a tree climber to escape the soggy forest floor.

Little ticks are a big problem. The Nature Center has never been tick-free, but there was a time when they were of littl...
08/12/2026

Little ticks are a big problem. The Nature Center has never been tick-free, but there was a time when they were of little concern. That time is over.

To learn more about the tick species that reside at the Nature Center, our resident entomologist Cali Granger has set up a tick collection station. The station is located on the fence near the porta-john in the parking lot and contains tweezers, a tick puller, a collection jar, and information pamphlets.

If you find a tick on you or your dog during your next visit, please remove it place it in the collection jar. You may use the porta-john to conduct a thorough tick check of your clothes, ankles, waist line, collar before leaving in your car. Another collection jar is located in the Visitors Center should you find find one when using the restrooms.

Please only place ticks found on you or your dog during your visit. We are attempting to learn more about the tick species and prevalence at the Nature Center. Foreign ticks from home or other locations are not helpful to our investigation. Other organisms or materials should not be placed in the collection container. For questions, you may reach Cali at [email protected].

Address

16146 Daniel Street NE (Not Mailing Address)
Minerva, OH
44657

Opening Hours

Tuesday 9am - 4pm
Wednesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm
Friday 9am - 4pm
Sunday 1pm - 5pm

Telephone

+13308237487

Website

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