Description
This section contains a 0.6 acre prairie was dedicated December 6, 1982, as an interpretive nature preserve. Smith Cemetery State Nature Preserve lies within what was once known as the vast Darby Plains Prairie. The Darby Plains supported a tall grass prairie growing to a height of six to eight feet. The sea of prairie grasses and colorful prairie wildflowers was interrupted only by scattered groves bur oaks and a few hickories. The grasslands were among the last lands in this part of Ohio to be settled. The Darby Plains were considered almost worthless by early settlers, for these plains were covered with water several months out of the year and became extremely dry and subject to raging prairie fires by late fall. Samuel Smith Jr., an early settler in this region, transferred his ownership of the little prairie cemetery to the Darby Township Trustees in 1834. Today Smith Cemetery is perhaps the best example of a relict prairie community in the state, with the original prairie grasses and wildflowers. Big bluestem is the most abundant of the prairie grasses. Some other notable species include stiff goldenrod, purple coneflower, whorled rosinweed, smooth aster, prairie false indigo, gray willow and wild petunia. The Smith Cemetery Prairie is open to the public during daylight hours.