Woodstock's gorgeous scenery and working landscapes tell an evolving story of conservation stewardship. Pioneering environmentalist and native son George Perkins Marsh, inspired by Woodstock's natural beauty and his concerns about degradation of its forests and farms, wrote the seminal American treatise in 1864 on the influence of human activities on natural systems. His birthplace became home to Frederick Billings, successful businessman, conservationist and agricultural innovator, and subsequently the property of Billings' granddaughter, Mary French, and her husband Laurance S. Rockefeller, venture capitalist and visionary in conservation, historic preservation and outdoor recreation. In innumerable ways, the physical environment of Woodstock, Vermont continues to demonstrate the attention and foresight of these remarkable citizens of the community.
The legacy of Laurance S. Rockefeller, grandson of John D. Rockefeller, is reflected throughout Woodstock, where he applied his commitment to sustainable land use. The childhood home of his wife of 60 years, Mary French Rockefeller, Laurance Rockefeller recognized that Woodstock's combination of environmental, aesthetic, cultural, recreational and civic values had the power to lift and inspire the human spirit. Together, they worked to protect and enhance Woodstock's natural beauty, vibrant community, and agrarian heritage, to ensure a strong economic future while preventing the kinds of growth that would threaten its unique character and quality of life.
Laurance and Mary Rockefeller established The Woodstock Foundation in 1968, as a way to nurture Woodstock's assets. In 1983, they converted the Billings Farm, originally developed by Frederick Billings as a model of agricultural stewardship, to public use, creating educational programs and museum exhibits on Vermont's rural heritage coupled with a model dairy farm. In 1992, the Rockefellers donated the adjacent 555 acres and the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller mansion, their home, to the National Park Service to create Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park. The gift included a scenic easement on the surrounding hillsides.
Mr. Rockefeller removed the outmoded historic Woodstock Inn, and in its place, built and re-opened the hotel in 1969, to offer visitors 'serenity, beauty and tranquility' while experiencing the Vermont countryside. Expanded in 1983, The Resort recently underwent a comprehensive renovation and strives to be "green" in its design and operations. Mr. Rockefeller bequeathed The Woodstock Inn & Resort to The Woodstock Foundation so it could continue its role as an asset of the community while attracting visitors to Woodstock who would come to appreciate the integrity of this special place. The Woodstock inn & Resort is dedicated to extending the legacy of and upholding the vision set by its founder.
