The county bought the Lake Runnymede Conservation Area in 2007 for $5.2 million. The community along the lake was originally called Wharton and was founded in 1885. This site was originally used for grazing cattle and horses. The site includes a Native American shell midden, a former cattle operation holding pen, a reserved primitive camping area for organized groups such as Boy and Girl Scouts, and benches under century-old oak trees.