Known as the Norwegian Count, Nils Louis Christian Kachelmacher was born in Oslo, Norway, to a wealthy family. He immigrated to the United States at age 21 and helped drive industrial growth in the Hocking Valley and the expansion of Logan. As president of the Columbus and Hocking Coal & Iron Company, he pioneered oil fields and developed holdings in iron, natural gas, and coal. He also directed construction of the Greendale Brick Plant, once considered the world's largest brick producer. He died in 1917, leaving 10 acres of land to be used solely as a public park. He also established a trust to create an institution solely to research the cure, prevention, and relief of varicose veins. He said that each person should endeavor to make the world a little better because he lived and worked in it.