I love Millstream Park (also known was Bonnie Park Picnic Area) and shoot here during all seasons! Summer, fall, winter, spring, all of it! The parking lot is semi-small, but the sun sets in the perfect place. There is a river there, a little field (which was previously more parking) and lots of green areas & trails! This location is off Valley Parkway in Mill Stream Run Reservation, east of Pearl Road (route 42) in Strongsville, Ohio.

The History of Millstream Park, now known as Bonnie Park Picnic Area

A dam was built in 1820s to control the flow of the river and provide a water source for the mills. Most of the photos of the old mills were taken after they were retired. You can see some of the old photos by follow this LINK. With the mills quiet and still, the area seems serene. But that was not the case when they were in use! When the mills were used, between the noise and the local farmers with wagons of food plus rushing water and grindstones, you can image it was extremely noisy in this location. By the early 1900s the mill was not being used, like most small mills around this time. Local farmers dwindled and big companies made flour and sold it in local grocery stores instead.

What does Bonnie Park mean?

The mill was no longer in use, but the dam still was there, and Dr. Clyne owned the property. It was his private picnic grounds! He added a boathouse to the mill plus used the pool created by the dam for swimming and boating at his park, known as Bonnie Park. And here’s a cool tidbit of information: Bonnie Park means “The Beautiful Park.”

Dr. Clyne sold Millstream Park to the Cleveland Metroparks in 1923. The Parks built better walls and created diving areas plus a wading pool to update the swimming area. But by the 1950s water pollution ended swimming at Bonnie Park.