Photo Pest: Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park

While Magda & Joe played croquet with the D-Kids on the lawn, Thom and I toured the interior of the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller estate which sits on 550 acres of land. Although the Federalist style mansion looks pretty large from the outside, only a few rooms on the first floor are open to visitors. The grounds are the real draw because they reflect the commitment to conservation shared by the three families that have owned the property since the early 19th century, when much of Vermont had been de-forested.

Only six people are allowed inside at a time. While we waited, a ranger explained that the first owner of the house, George Perkins Marsh had written what became the ur-text of America's conservation movement, Man and Nature, in between his appointments as ambassador to both the Ottoman Empire and Italy, where he died in 1882.

Frederick Billings, who grew up within sight of the imposing structure, purchased the property after making his fortune as an attorney and a real estate developer during the California Gold Rush. Already under the influence of Marsh, he advocated for the establishment of Yosemite and Yellowstone national parks. He purchased the Marsh property after the Civil War and imported dairy cows from the Isle of Jersey, whose genetic lineage continues to this day on the farm named after him. The property stayed in the Billings family for three generations--each of which shared his commitment to conservation and sustainable farming.

Frederick's granddaughter Mary, who inherited the house, wed Laurence Rockefeller in 1934. They considered their marriage a "partnership" which prioritized conservation, too. They soon revitalized the nearly defunct farming operation, which had forced the Billings to sell their sheep prior to the Great Depression, eventually turning it into a non-profit educational institution. The couple also erected a privacy hedge of tall fir trees to the east of the mansion, so tall now that it completely obliterates what must be a picturesque view of the farm and the rolling hills in the distance. In 1992, Mary and Laurence donated the mansion and re-forested land on Mt. Tom to the federal government. It's Vermont's only national park. The ranger described the interior as a mix of Queen Anne and mid-century modern furniture with some impressive art.

Dining Room

This Federalist mirror is nearly two centuries older than I am.

Chair Upholstery

Two Tiffany windows decorate the house although only one is visible from the inside.

This tacky area functioned as the Rockefeller wet bar and home entertainment center. Wealth wasn't as ostentatious in their day.

I didn't think much of their record collection until I noticed two copies of The Third Album, Barbra's best IMHO.

A gorgeous etched glass chandelier hangs in the hallway.

The gardens, although well-maintained, aren't particularly impressive.

The floral waterspout in the birdbath, the sailboat sundial and the nude statue add a touch of tasteful Republican whimsy.

A swimming pool, bowling alley and greenhouse comprise the nearby Belvedere Complex.

At the height of Cold War paranoia in the 1960s, the Rockefellers built a fallout shelter beneath the bowling alley on the other side of the greenhouse.