Donated to the MetroParks in 1998, by the William Holmes McGuffey Historical Society, this 78-acre site is located on McGuffey Road in Coitsville Township. Once the home of William Holmes McGuffey, author of the McGuffey Readers, this site is a tribute to his legacy and an opportunity for park visitors to experience a natural, relatively unaltered landscape indicative of earlier times. The William Holmes McGuffey Boyhood Home Site was designated a Registered National Historic Landmark in 1966. This designation means that this site possesses exceptional value in commemorating or illustrating the history of the United States.

Since acquiring the McGuffey Wildlife Preserve, the MetroParks has preserved the natural rural character of the property, with open, rolling fields accessible by a network of mown trails. Several bird nest boxes placed adjacent to the trails attract eastern bluebirds and tree swallows. The fields are home to a wide variety of songbirds, and even wild turkeys. The southern half of the Preserve consists of forested upland and wetland habitats, providing opportunities to view red-bellied woodpeckers, northern flickers, barred owls, and red-shouldered hawks. Look for the tracks of white-tailed deer and coyote on the trails. Several organized birding hikes take place at the McGuffey Wildlife Preserve each year.

Hiking is permitted; parking is available off McGuffey Road; there are no restroom facilities available on-site.