MARSH-BILLINGS-ROCKEFELLER HISTORIC PARK

In 1805, Vermont-born politician and lawyer Charles Marsh had a Federal-style house built on the land. The house was subsequently enlarged by Frederick Billings, who became the owner in 1869. Influenced by George Perkins Marsh's book Man and Nature, Billings began reforesting Mount Tom in 1874, setting in motion the first scientific forest management plan in the United States. The park was created in 1992 when Frederick Billings' granddaughter, Mary French Rockefeller, and her husband Laurance Rockefeller (from the famous and wealthy American family) donated the land to the United States. Today, it's the only park to tell the story of environmental conservation in the United States. The park works in partnership with the Billings Farm & Museum. The 1805 residence can be visited on guided tours from May to September. Tours are given in small groups, so be sure to book in advance. The house houses an important collection of art objects and paintings, including canvases from the Hudson River School movement, which emphasized the great American outdoors. Fantastic walks in the park, especially in autumn. Pogue Lake, surrounded by mountains, can be reached in 25 minutes, and Mount Tom in 45 minutes (1? to 2 hours round trip), with the reward of a beautiful view of the village of Woodstock and the surrounding area.