New Philadelphia receives $650,000 grant to build one-mile hiking and biking trail

Jon Baker, The Times-Reporter
·2 min read

NEW PHILADELPHIA ‒ Construction is expected to begin this summer on a one-mile biking and hiking trail east of the city, which will eventually be part of a trail that will connect New Philadelphia with Roswell.

The city has been awarded a $650,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Mineral Resources Management for the project. Phase 1 will convert one-mile of a city-owned railroad right-of-way into a non-motorized trail. The pathway will start at a trailhead off of Hillandale Road NE and end at Ohio 39 just across the road from Huffy’s Bar and Grill.

A new biking and hiking trail to connect New Philadelphia with Roswell will be constructed in phases as money is available. The city received a grant for phase 1 of the project, which will start off of Hillandale Road NE.
A new biking and hiking trail to connect New Philadelphia with Roswell will be constructed in phases as money is available. The city received a grant for phase 1 of the project, which will start off of Hillandale Road NE.

Construction is expected to be completed by mid-2025 on this phase.

Funding needed for entire project

Subsequent phases would build the trail to Roswell as funding becomes available. The grant funding comes from the federal Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization Program (AMLER).

More news on trails: New route proposed for Towpath Trail through New Philadelphia eliminates areas of concern

"The next phase goes across some marshy land, and it could be challenging. It may take more to actually build the trail because it's so spongy," said Mayor Joel Day.

He said he hopes the entire trail can be completed in the next four to five years.

Deer tracks can be seen in frozen mud along a proposed trail along Beaverdam Creek at the Hillandale Road NE bridge.
Deer tracks can be seen in frozen mud along a proposed trail along Beaverdam Creek at the Hillandale Road NE bridge.

In their grant application, city officials expressed the hope that the trail will spur economic development.

"The trail has the potential to increase business at a restaurant near the trail and two dollar stores." the application said. "The Roswell General Store, which recently held a grand opening, would also see increased business. Additionally, visitors to the trail can return to New Philadelphia and patronize many of the city's restaurants."

The proposed trail has been under discussion since 2014.

Daily service to Roswell

The trail will follow the route of an abandoned rail line, which once transported coal and miners to and from several drift, slope and strip mines in the area.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Roswell was the largest coal mining center in Tuscarawas County and one of the largest in eastern Ohio.

Construction is expected to begin this summer on a one-mile biking and hiking trail east of the city. For phase 1 of the project, the city convert one-mile of a city-owned railroad right-of-way into a non-motorized trail. The pathway will start at a trailhead off of Hillandale Road NE and end at Ohio 39 just across the road from Huffy’s Bar and Grill.

Most of the miners lived in company owned row houses. But the town wasn't big enough to accommodate all the men who worked there. Many of them lived in New Philadelphia and took the daily train to Roswell operated by the Cleveland & Pittsburgh Railroad. The round-trip cost 20 cents.

The miners didn't get paid until Saturday evening. If residents took the train to New Philadelphia to go shopping after they got paid, there was no train to take them back. Returning shoppers were forced to take the streetcar to Midvale and then walk from there to Roswell. The New Philadelphia Board of Trade successfully lobbied the railroad in 1907 to get a late train to Roswell on Saturday nights so shoppers wouldn't have to walk home.

Rail service on the line was discontinued on Aug. 4, 1926.

Reach Jon at 330-364-8415 or at jon.baker@timesreporter.com.

This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: New Philadelphia receives $650,000 grant for hiking and biking trail