Land of Liberty Explorers

Marsh-Billings-Rockerfeller National Historical Park is located in beautiful Woodstock, Vermont. It was established on August 26, 1992 to recognize the importance of conservation stewardship in America.

George Perkins Marsh

Marsh was born in 1801 and grew up in Woodstock. He was a philologist who spoke over 20 different languages. His father, Charles, was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Marsh was also elected to the House in 1843. President Zachary Taylor appointed him ambassador to the Ottoman Empire in 1850. In 1861, President Abraham Lincoln appointed him ambassador to Italy. Through his travels, Marsh became concerned about deforestation resulting in desertification. While in Italy, he wrote Man and Nature, which is considered the first American book about conservation.

Frederick H. Billings

Billings was a lawyer and businessman. He was born in Vermont in 1923, but moved to San Francisco in 1848 at the beginning of the Gold Rush. One of his first clients was John Sutter. Billings later became president of the Northern Pacific Railway. He bought the Marsh Estate in 1869 and began managing the surrounding forest based on the principles set out in Marsh’s Man and Nature. Billings set up a model farm on the property – which is now the adjacent Billings Farm and Museum. He also built 14 miles of carriage roads around the property.

Mary Billings French & Laurance Rockefeller

The next major owners of the property were Mary Billings French, Billings’ granddaughter, and her husband Laurance Rockefeller, son of J.D. Rockefeller, Jr. Laurance inherited his grandfather’s seat on the New York Stock Exchange and was a leading venture capitalist. He served as a presidential advisor to several administrations on topics ranging from conservation to UFOs. Mary and Laurance donated the estate to the National Parks Service in 1992 for the establishment of a park to interpret the history and evolution of conservation in the United States.

Visiting Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park

Parking for the national historic park is across the street at the Billings Farm and Museum. After crossing the street, check out the Carriage Barn Visitor Center which houses a small exhibit dedicated to the history of conservation in America. Tour tickets are also available inside the Carriage Barn, which was originally built in 1895.

Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller Mansion

The mansion was built in 1805 by Charles Marsh in a Federal Style. Billings added two additions and converted the mansion to a Queen Anne style. Mary French Billings inherited the mansion from her mother in 1954 and donated it to the United States in 1992. A variety of tours are offered between May and October. Unfortunately, we visited on our way to Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, so we didn’t have time to tour the mansion.

Gardens

After many trips to Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park, we are familiar with the Rockefeller family’s passion for beautiful gardens. Our favorite experience at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park was strolling through the formal gardens.

The Belvedere Complex

The complex was added to the estate in the 1870s and consisted of a bowling alley and swimming pool. In the 1950s, the Rockefellers renovated the complex to include a nuclear fallout shelter and a soda fountain.

Hiking Trails

The park has over twenty miles of hiking trails that reach a small pond called the Pogue or the top of Mount Tom. Next time we visit, we’ll be sure to hit the trails. Trails are dog friendly! Bring your pup as long as you keep her on a leash and pick up after her.