Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park |
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Carriage road within the park
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 Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park
Location in Vermont
Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park
Location in the United States
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| Location | Windsor County, Vermont, United States |
| Nearest city | Woodstock, Vermont |
| Area | 643 acres (260 ha) |
| Established | August 26, 1992 |
| Visitors | 29,049 (in 2011) |
| Governing body | National Park Service |
| Website | Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park |
The Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park is a special place in Woodstock, Vermont. It's a National Historical Park that helps us remember important ideas about nature. This park protects the land where Frederick Billings started a carefully managed forest and a modern dairy farm.
The park is named after the important people who owned this land. These include Frederick Billings, George Perkins Marsh, Mary Montagu Billings French, Laurance Rockefeller, and Mary French Rockefeller. In 1992, the Rockefeller family gave this property to the United States government. It is the only park managed by the National Park Service in Vermont, except for a small part of the Appalachian Trail.
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Discovering Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller Park
This historical park is located just outside Woodstock village. It sits on the west side of Vermont Route 12. Across the road, you'll find the Billings Farm. This is a working farm and museum that also used to be part of the Billings family's land.
You can park your car on the east side of Route 12. Park staff are ready to help you at both the farm's visitor center and the park's own visitor center.
Exploring the Historic Marsh Home
Close to the road is the George Perkins Marsh Boyhood Home. This beautiful house is the main building of the park. It was built in 1805, but Frederick Billings later made many changes to it. He turned it into the grand, fancy house you see today, in a style called Late Victorian.
You can take a guided tour of the house. It's a good idea to book ahead because tours have limited spots. Inside, you'll see many landscape paintings. Some are by famous Hudson River School artists. These paintings show how art and photography helped people care more about protecting nature. The gardens around the house have also been brought back to their original beauty.
Wandering the Park's Trails
Behind the house, stretching up the hill, is a large area of over 600 acres (about 243 hectares). This land is a "conservation landscape." It has old carriage roads and walking trails that go through different types of natural areas.
You'll find a pond near the middle of a high valley. There are also several spots along the trails where you can enjoy amazing views. The park goes all the way west to Prosper Road. You can also start your hike from trailheads located there.
The Park's Rich History
The main house was first built in 1805 by Charles Marsh. He was a well-known lawyer in Vermont. He raised his family in this two-story house. His son, George Perkins Marsh, was born in Woodstock in 1801. He grew up in this house before going to Dartmouth College.
George Perkins Marsh: A Visionary Thinker
George Perkins Marsh followed his father into law and politics. He became a member of Congress in 1834. Later, he worked for Presidents John Tyler and Abraham Lincoln in other countries. From the 1830s to the 1860s, Marsh developed important ideas about how we should care for the land.
In 1864, he wrote a famous book called Man and Nature. This book talked about how past societies failed because they didn't take care of their environment. Marsh called for people to take action to protect nature. His ideas helped start the conservation movement in the United States. Marsh passed away in 1882.
Frederick Billings: A Legacy of Conservation
In 1869, Frederick H. Billings bought the Marsh estate, which was then 246 acres (about 100 hectares). Billings was from Royalton, Vermont. He became very wealthy as a lawyer during the California Gold Rush. He also helped start the Northern Pacific Railroad and was its president for a time.
Between 1869 and 1881, Billings made big changes to the house. He added a new section and a special roof. Later, an architect named Henry Hudson Holley helped him transform the house into the beautiful Queen Anne Victorian style you see today. Billings also created a "model farm" on the property. This farm is now the Billings Farm museum next door.
The Rockefeller Family's Gift
The next important owners of the property were Mary French Rockefeller and her husband Laurance Rockefeller. Mary was Frederick Billings' granddaughter. Laurance Rockefeller was a key advisor on conservation to several United States presidents.
In 1992, Laurance Rockefeller gave the house and the upland properties to the American people. This was the same year the park was created. The house and about 40 acres (16 hectares) around it were named a National Historic Landmark in 1967. This was because of its connection to Marsh and Billings, and its beautiful Queen Anne architecture.
Park Achievements and Recognition
In August 2005, the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park received a special award. It was the first United States national park to get a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification. This award came from the Rainforest Alliance's SmartWood program.
This certification means the park manages its forests in a sustainable way. It was only the second piece of United States federal land to receive this important recognition for good forest management.
