In the 1840's, the site was used as a community picnic ground. It was easily accessible from downtown Logan by canal boat for a 15 cent fare. Later the woods were known for hotly debated political gatherings, huge ox roasts, and railroad fund raising rallies.

After the Civil War, local war hero and capitalist Colonel Ferdinand Rempel, the City of Logan, and the Hocking Valley Railroad, hosted a reunion for over 1,000 Union veterans at this location, with then Governor (and later President) William McKinley in attendance. It was considered an ideal location because excursion trains could be brought in from four directions.

Today the rail line still runs through Rempel's Grove and the old tow paths from the canal can be seen along the Hocking River.