Off a nondescript road in Hinkley, Ohio, lies a trail to take you to the almost mystical gift Noble Stewart left for future generations.
In the 1940s, Noble Stewart married 80-year-old Nettie Worden. Nettie was the sole survivor of her family, and upon her passing just a few years later, Noble, 63, inherited the land named after its namesake, Hiram Worden.
After Nettie’s death, Noble spent many days in the property’s woods, composed of sandstone rock formations. Bricklayer, by trade with artist desires, Noble carved images into the sandstone of whatever was on his mind.
The many faces of Worden Ledges
The hike begins off the parking lot and takes you into the woods as a rocky path descends below the ledges. The natural surfaces and untouched scenery transport you back in time as you wind around the sandstone formations.
Soon your gaze will make out the different images carved into the ledges as you discover a sphinx guarding the area.
Around another bend, you spy a detailed schooner carving or a Bible and cross.
The unique carvings appear randomly throughout the region and evoke a sense of mystery yet awe-inspiring.
Imagining the time and effort Noble Stewart took to create the depictions may leave you speechless. Not only are they unexpected, but some are also quite detailed, like the image of Ty Cobb and George Washington.
Worden ledges are a loop trail that is part of the Hinkley Reservation, and the woods connect to the Whipps ledges. It is a .07-mile trek and, with proper footwear, is suitable for kids.
All total, there are nine carvings at the ledges. Can you find them all?
For directions, visit Worden’s Ledges, Cleveland Metroparks.
All photos property of Trish Mann (author)
