The Rockefeller Morgans
Rockefeller 11.09 10/20/09 2:27 PM Page 2 n occasion, visitors to Acadia National Park or The most notable feature of the Rockefeller State Park the Rockefeller State Park Preserve might see a Preserve, located in Pocantico Hills in Westchester County, pair or four-in-hand of lovely bay Morgans out New York, is the system of carriage roads built by John D. on the carriage roads. The turn-out will be Rockefeller, Sr. and John D. Rockefeller, Jr. The venue’s web- Oimpeccable and the horses well mannered and eye-catching, site describes the trails’ sensitivity to their setting: “designed making on-lookers wonder just who they are? to complement the landscape, the carriage roads wind They are the Rockefeller Morgans. through wetlands, woodlands, meadows, and fields and past John D. Rockefeller, Jr. was considered an expert horse- streams, rivers, and lakes. They traverse wood and stone man and preferred driving horses to automobiles. His love bridges, including the first triple arch bridge in America, of horses spurred the carriage road project on Mount and are open to the public for hiking and horse activity.” Desert Island, Maine (Acadia National Park) which resulted “We have always had Morgans to drive,” recalls David in over 50 miles of road specifically designed for carriage Rockefeller, the youngest of John D. Rockefeller, Jr.’s chil- travel graded to allow for easy pulling by horses, almost all dren and at 94, still driving his Morgans. “I believe my of which is still maintained and used today. The carriage father became interested in the breed as driving horses and roads are part of the National Park and open to the public since they are such wonderful horses, we kept that tradi- for hiking, biking and horse activity, with additional car- tion.” That tradition has been embraced by others through riage roads, open to horses only, recently opened on the generations: David Rockefeller’s late wife, Peggy, was an Rockefeller family land.
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