Epworth Park Is One of Ohio’s Last Remaining Chautauqua Communities

Doug Frizzi says that Epworth Park is the best kept secret in Belmont County, and he’d like that to change. Frizzi is the chairman of the Epworth Park Foundation, an organization dedicated to preserving and sharing the legacy of this little-known destination, which began as a Methodist campground in 1870 and is one of the few remaining Chautauqua communities in Ohio.

“We really are trying to resurrect the Chautauqua values,” he says, referring to these communities’ focus on cultural enrichment through lectures, artistic expression and group activities. The highlight of Epworth Park is the 60 cottages that range in size from 600 to nearly 1,500 square feet, some of which were built more than 150 years ago. 

“My cottage is one of the newest in the park,” Frizzi says, “and it was built in 1915.”

Frizzi points out that they are cottages, not homes. Many were built just as shelter for the Chautauqua events held during the summer, replacing the tent city that had sprouted in the area as part of the Chautauqua movement, which began in the late 1800s.

Epworth Park drew notable speakers during its heyday, including evangelist Billy Sunday, William McKinley (prior to his election as president) and William Jennings Bryan, McKinley’s opponent in the 1896 and 1900 presidential elections. Epworth Park has been added to America’s official Chautauqua Trail, and an application for its designation on the National Register of Historic Places is expected to be processed sometime this summer.

Many of the cottages remain closely held, but the community is trying to become more open. The park’s outdoor auditorium is available for rental, but the homes are not. Visitors are welcome to experience the community during the annual Chautauqua Days hosted by the cottage owners and held each July (scheduled for July 12 and 13 in 2025). 

“The first question everyone asks is if they can rent these. There is a great interest in it, and that’s something I think will be addressed down the road,” Frizzi says. “I can’t tell you how many times we’ve heard, ‘We’ve never been to this place and it’s amazing.’” 

215 N. Main St., Bethesda 43719, 740/330-3047, epworthpark.org

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