Angora Frog Farm opens in Powell
By Ken Leinart
Legacy Parks Foundation and Knox County opened a new child-focused park and dog park in Powell on Wednesday, Aug. 21.
Angora Frog Farm and Dog Park sits on 14 acres of land donated in 2020 to Legacy Parks by Arvin and Sabra Brown.
The Brown family did not only donate the land for the park, but they also shared the family’s legacy of telling folk tales that were passed down through the ages.
It started with a failed bid at naming the farm and a bullfrog.
The story goes back several generations past when the Brown family wanted to register the name of their farm as “The Brown’s Farm.” Simple enough except the state said the name was already taken.
At the time there was a bullfrog living along one of the creeks on the farm and someone in the family decided to name the frog “Angora.”
The Brown family settled for the Angora Frog Farm as the name of the farm as a way of sorta thumbing their noses at the state.
Angora Frog Farm Park pays tribute to the legacy of the Brown family and the folk tales passed down through the generations about the “hairy Angora frogs” grown on the family farm.
Partnering with illustrator and author Daniel Wiseman, Legacy Parks crafted a story about the Angora Frog Farm and brought it to life with a story trail and play structures on the trail inside the park.
The Angora Frog Farm was created for “little children with big imaginations” as the story of Arvin the Angora Frog leads children on the adventure of finding other Angora frogs. The trail has play features like The Lookout Tower, a spider swing, and a wobble bridge.
“We took a different approach with this park by creating a linear playground where you can enjoy a walk in the woods, climb and play, read a story, and sit by a little creek all in one experience,” Legacy Park Executive Director Carol Evans said.
There is also a dog park within the Angora Frog Farm Park. University of Tennessee President and owner/founder of PetSafe Randy Boyd said the dog park was not so much a gift, but a reward.
“The Powell community earned this,” he said. “You showed how much you cared and what a positive impact this will have in your community.”
The dog park was funded by Boyd’s Family Foundation and is the sixth neighborhood dog park in Knox County
Legacy Parks kicked off the project with a $20,000 grant from The American Rental Association Foundation and the Toro Company to build the walking trail. FirstBank provided a matching grant of $20,000 to fund the storybook panels featured throughout the park.
“This park is a special place for the community, children, frogs and dogs,” Evans said. “It is a privilege for us to be able to create a unique park in this community and honor the Brown family legacy that will last for generations to come.”
The Angora Frog Farm and Dog Park is located at 7323 Brickyard Road in Powell and is open sunrise to sunset.
