River Farm facts for kids
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River Farm is a beautiful 27-acre property in Alexandria, Virginia. It is currently the main office for the American Horticultural Society (AHS). This special place gets its name from a much larger piece of land that once belonged to George Washington's famous Mount Vernon estate.
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History of River Farm
The land where River Farm stands today was first settled between 1653 and 1654. A man named Giles Brent and his wife, Mary Kittamaquund, a princess from the Piscataway tribe, received a large land grant. They called this area Piscataway Neck.
In 1739, Giles Brent's family transferred the land to William Clifton. He renamed the property Clifton's Neck. By 1757, Clifton finished building the brick house that is now the main office for the American Horticultural Society.
George Washington Buys the Land
William Clifton faced money problems and had to sell his land. In 1760, Founding Father George Washington bought the property for £1,210. Washington changed the name from Clifton's Neck to River Farm. He then rented out the land to farmers.
River Farm stayed in the Washington family for two generations. Later, 652 acres of Washington's original land, including River Farm, were sold to the Snowden brothers from New Jersey. Over the years, many different people owned the property. Malcolm Matheson bought it in 1919.
In 1971, Matheson decided to sell River Farm. The Soviet Embassy, which represents Russia, wanted to buy the land. They planned to use it as a quiet place for their staff to relax. However, many people in the community did not want the Soviet Embassy to buy the land.
How AHS Got River Farm
Because of the public's strong feelings, Malcolm Matheson decided not to sell the land to the Soviet Embassy. Around this time, Enid Annenberg Haupt, a kind person who loved gardening and was on the AHS Board of Directors, became interested in the property.
The American Horticultural Society (AHS) bought River Farm in the 1970s. Enid Annenberg Haupt generously donated money over several years to help AHS pay for the property. She wanted the gardens to always be open for everyone to enjoy. In 1973, AHS moved its main office from the city of Alexandria to River Farm. The property was officially renamed River Farm to honor President George Washington, who was one of its many owners.
River Farm and George Washington
Today's River Farm is a smaller part of George Washington's original estate. It has a house built in the 1920s and features both natural and formal garden areas. The property still has special connections to Washington's time.
For example, some of the Kentucky coffeetrees on the farm are descendants of trees Washington brought back to Virginia. He found these trees during his trips to the Ohio River Valley. The oldest tree on the estate is a huge Osage-orange (Maclura pomifera). Many people believe it is the largest one in the United States. There's an old story that it was a gift from Thomas Jefferson to the Washington family. The story says it grew from seeds collected during the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804–06, but this tale is not true.
A Special Garden Landmark
In 2004, the American Society for Horticultural Science gave River Farm a special title: Horticultural Landmark. This means it's a very important place for gardening. River Farm earned this award because it has kept its historic look while also showing the best and most eco-friendly ways to garden.
Visitors to River Farm can enjoy beautiful views stretching down to the Potomac River. The gardens mix natural areas with more formal designs, offering beauty all year round. There are fun play areas for children, and special gardens that show how to grow both food and pretty flowers. You can also find a four-acre meadow and peaceful spots for picnics.
Other cool things to see include two small buildings with "living" roofs covered in plants. There's also the giant Osage-orange tree, an orchard with fruit trees, and a grove of rare Franklinia trees. If you're lucky, you might even spot bald eagles, bluebirds, foxes, and other wildlife!
What You Can See at River Farm
River Farm has many different gardens and features:
- André Bluemel Meadow: This 4-acre area has native grasses and wildflowers. Two large black walnut trees (Juglans nigra) here might even date back to George Washington's time.
- Children's Garden: This area has more than a dozen small gardens designed just for kids.
- Estate House Plantings:' Around the main house, you'll find native shrubs and trees like Allegheny serviceberry (Amelanchier laevis) and fringe tree (Chionanthus virginianus). There's also a hedge of English boxwood (Buxus sempervirens 'Suffruticosa) that is nearly 100 years old.
- Garden Calm: This peaceful garden has shrubs, trees, and plants that grow well in the shade. It's also home to the huge Osage-orange tree.
- George Harding Memorial Azalea Garden:' This garden is filled with hundreds of different azalea plants. It also has small ornamental trees like river birch (Betula nigra 'Heritage) and dogwoods (Cornus sp.).
- Growing Connection Demonstration Garden: Here, you can see how to grow vegetables and herbs.
- Orchard: This area has fruit trees like apple, pear, cherry, plum, and Japanese persimmon.
- Perennial Border: The plants in this garden are chosen because they are strong and resist diseases and pests.
- White House Gates: These gates were first put at the White House in 1819, after it was rebuilt following the War of 1812. They were used at the White House's northeast entrance for over 120 years.
- Wildlife Garden: This garden has a small pond with frogs, goldfish, and turtles. It's surrounded by blueberry and northern bayberry shrubs, grasses, junipers, and holly.
River Farm for Sale
On September 4, 2020, the American Horticultural Society announced that it was putting River Farm up for sale. This decision was made to help the small national nonprofit stay financially strong. The COVID-19 pandemic and the high costs of keeping up River Farm had made things difficult. Real estate experts estimate the property's value to be between $18 million and $30 million.
Local leaders, like Mount Vernon District Supervisor Daniel G. Storck, and groups like NOVA Parks, are working together. They hope to make an offer to buy River Farm. The community wants the privately owned land to become a public park for everyone to enjoy.
See also
In Spanish: River Farm para niños
