Slate Run Metro Park is one of the more active parks in the Columbus area. There's a Living Historical Farm, as well as twelve miles of hiking/horse trails, shelters, playgrounds, fishing, and more on its 1,715 acres. However, the entire slate run area was misnamed by the early pioneers to the area. The blackish rock along Slate Run Creek is actually shale, not slate, that was formed nearly 350 million years ago. Regardless, the area's soil was rich and ripe and many of the trees were cleared for farming. It wasn't until the start of World War One that many of the trees in the park today got their start. Since then, wetlands have been restored and prairies preserved, making Slate Run one of the more interesting parks in Metro Columbus.