Darby Creek flows for about 80 miles through west central Ohio. Two Hundred years ago, it was just a typical ordinary stream. But then colonizers brought “civilization” to the vast wild area. Today, Darby Creek is one of the few remaining remnants of that wilderness. Very few streams enjoy the biodiversity that is still found along the Big Darby. Urbanization has sprouted not far from its banks but its important riparian corridor of deciduous forest remains intact along key lengths of the shoreline. When compared to other streams and creeks, Big and Little Darby Creeks represent a important living classroom of ecology and the natural sciences. It is a museum of natural history. Grassroots citizen groups have worked together over decades to bring protective status of State and National Scenic River to the creek. It is a place for vision, renewal, and enlightenment. It has been designated as "One of the Dozen Last Great Places in the Western Hemisphere."