The Preble County Park District was created by Judge Dues in January of 2003. The first Park District Commissioners were appointed in February of 2003 and have worked diligently to establish the Board policies. In March of 2004, the Preble County Commissioners deeded over to the Preble County Park District, 100 acres of mixed farmland and forest to be used as the first County Park.
The land was donated by a local family and has been developed as the Allen & Adaline Garber Nature Center. About 33 acres of forest area has been developed into hiking trails. Another 60 acres remain as crop land and is leased out to bring income to the Park District. A wetland was created on some of the crop land and 975 trees were planted in an area adjacent to the forest.
