The Carriage Barn was built on the foundation of an earlier stable in 1895 to house the Billings Family horses, carriages and sleighs. The building is currently used as the headquarters and visitor center for Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park. The building is open 10am-5pm, Memorial Day weekend until October 31. The building contains an exhibit on conservation stewardship, a bookstore, reading area, and restrooms.
The Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership includes the interconnected waterways of Lake Champlain, Lake George, the Champlain Canal and portions of the Upper Hudson River in Vermont and New York. The region is the ancestral homeland of Algonquin and Iroquois peoples and, over the past 400 years, has played a vital role in the history of the United States and Canada.
The Faulkner Trail is a popular hike featuring gentle switchbacks that build up to an incredible panoramic view of Woodstock from the South Peak of Mount Tom. Most of the hike gradually gains elevation, leading to a scenic overlook with a bench. The last 100 yards to the summit is strenuous. At this section of the trail, a handrail assists walkers with the uneven footing up the steep terrain to the peak. Ensure firmness before use. Please do not cut switchbacks.
The Forest Center is a classroom and meeting space at Marsh-Billings-Rockefelelr National Historical Park. It is the first building in the National Park system constructed entirely with Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified wood. A partnership project of the National Park Service and The Woodstock Foundation, the Forest Center has been awarded Platinum Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Today, the gardens at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park include an azalea and rhododendron garden, rock garden, cutting garden, a hemlock hedgerow, a dense stand of Norway spruce, and many other plantings, all expressing the many-layered design and development of the gardens and grounds through four generations of dedicated stewardship.
The Horse Shed, designed by Theodor Muller and built in 1961, was originally constructed to house Mary Rockefeller's horses. This rehabilitated Rockefeller Horse Shed was designed by SAS Architects of Burlington, VT. The building is off the grid with a vertically integrated 230 watt solar photovoltaic system. The Horse Shed now acts as an Artist-in-Residence studio for Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park.
Originally built in 1805 by Charles Marsh Sr., father of George Perkins Marsh, the federal-style brick house was sold to Frederick Billings in 1869. Billings renovated the home into a Queen Anne style mansion. In 1954, Billings' granddaughter, Mary French Rockefeller, inherited the home and estate with her husband, Laurance Rockefeller. In 1992, the couple donated the property to the National Park Service. Interior tours are available May-October.
South Peak hosts a beautiful, panoramic view of the Village of Woodstock and beyond. South Peak is also home to the Woodstock town star, which is lit on winter nights and can be seen as far as Taftsville.
The Belvedere Complex consists of the Belvedere, the Bowling Alley, the Garden Workshop, the Greenhouse, and the outdoor swimming pool. It was designed in the 1870s by architect Detlef Lienau for the Billings family. In the 1950s, the Rockefellers hired architect Theodor Muller to renovate the Belvedere's interior including the Bowling Alley and soda fountain. A fallout shelter was added in the 1960s. Interior tours are available May-October.
The Bungalow, located on the hill adjacent to the Mansion, is a Craftsman-style building constructed in 1916-17. It was designed as a secluded retreat by Harold Van Buren Magonigle for Mary Montague Billings French, daughter of Frederick Billings. The Bungalow remained unchanged until 1959 when the daughter of Mrs. French, Mary French Rockefeller, commissioned architect Theodor Muller of New York to renovate the building. The bungalow interior is closed to the public.
During George Perkins Marsh's time on this land, the Pogue was a spring-fed fen. Frederick Billings dredged and dammed it in the 1880s to provide water for his estate. The Pogue provides a diversity of habitats for wildlife, including fish, turtles, frogs, ducks, herons.
The Woodbarn was built between 1875-1876 to accommodate Frederick Billings' forestry operations. Timber products were processed in the adjoining yard then stored in the Woodbarn. It was restored by the National Park Service in 2008 and adapted for storage of the park's historic carriage collection. The Woodbarn features an exhibit called, The Mount Tom Forest: A Legacy of Stewardship. The interior is open to the public 10am-4pm between Memorial Day weekend-October.
