NEW FRANKLIN — The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has granted 3.76 acres of land from Portage Lakes State Park to the city of New Franklin for use by the historic Tudor House on Portage Lakes.
The addition of the property adjacent to the Tudor House will increase the total acreage to nearly 9 acres of lakefront property. The city plans to expand the area for recreational use, including reopening Shoreline Trail, creating new trails and adding picnic tables and a parking area. There also are plans to install pickleball courts, a sand kayak beach and docks so boaters can easily access the grounds for recreational use and Tudor House events.
“Adding these acres to the New Franklin property will allow for continued growth of community events, accessibility to the grounds and provide residents more recreational opportunities at Portage Lakes State Park,” Portage Lakes State Park Manager Mike Studeny said.
The city-owned Tudor House is a historic 20-room mansion that sits along Turkeyfoot Lake.
The picturesque property is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Tudor House was built in 1929 by Frank H. Mason, a senior executive of the B.F. Goodrich Co., and given as a wedding present to his grandson and granddaughter-inlaw, Frank Raymond and Zeletta Robinson.
The property was sold to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources in 1974. The city took ownership in 2010.
“Our intention is to complement the recreational opportunities presently offered by the Portage Lakes State Park by expanding those to the Tudor House while preserving the historic and pristine nature of the house and grounds,” New Franklin Mayor Paul Adamson said . “The Tudor House is already a special place here in our community, and the addition of this space will ensure it stays that way for years to come.”