BY DANIELLE STEINMANN, TRUSTEES STAFF WOMEN of The Trustees ENDURING IMPACTS ON CONSERVATION, 1979; JUSTICE, AND DEW, THE CULTURE IN THE BEZAMAT SIPPING COMMONWEALTH ADOLFO CRANE, AND THE MRS. SAWAHARA WORLD OF MR. AND MINÉ GIFT Women have always been an important sharing their stories for the many generations Conservation Heroines part of the Trustees’ story—shaping the that have followed. They may not be household names, but organization from its beginnings to the Barbara J. Erickson joined The Trustees Louise Doyle, Eugenie Beal, Helen C. Butler, current day. Miss Ellen Chase and Mrs. Fanny in 2012 as its first female President & CEO— W Mabel Choate, and Mary P. Wakeman Foster Tudor are named as the only two transforming the organization for the 21st exemplify dozens of women whose donations “Founders” in the Trustees’ century while keeping true to of property ensured the permanent 2nd Annual Report (1892), the original founders’ vision. protection of many of the Trustees’ an acknowledgement of their Under her leadership, The most important and iconic places. Their donations of $1,000 or more Trustees has doubled in size commitment to land conservation and open in land or money. Other early and experienced the highest space make them true heroines—for the supporters include Bostonians income and audience growth Commonwealth, The Trustees, and millions Sarah Crocker and Anna T. in the nonprofit’s history. She of visitors over the years. Phillips, and Mary Sophia was awarded the distinguished Walker of Waltham. Elizabeth Craig Weaver 1 Over the years, The Trustees Proctor Medal by the Garden has protected properties that Club of America in 2017, ELLEN CHASE were home to significant women named Conservationist of the in the arts and sciences—as well as several Year by Northshore Magazine in 2017, and has who made history as pioneering crusaders been named in the Commonwealth Institute for freedom, justice, and equality for women and Boston Globe Magazine’s Annual Top 100 in America and beyond—honoring their Women-Led Businesses in Massachusetts contributions by conserving their homes and survey for six consecutive years. HELEN C. BUTLER “I WANT TO DO SOMETHING SPLENDID… MONUMENT MOUNTAIN Great Barrington Donated in 1899 SOMETHING HEROIC OR WONDERFUL THAT This popular hiking spot with sweeping views WON’T BE FORGOTTEN AFTER I’M DEAD…” of the Housatonic River Valley is famous —Louisa May Alcott, Little Women for its literary connections, most notably a 16 THE TRUSTEES 41689.CC2020.indd 16 7/6/20 10:51 AM legendary 1850 picnic outing that included Vineyard where she had lived since 1949. A BNAN merged with The Trustees, which Nathaniel Hawthorne and Herman Melville. founding trustee of the Vineyard Open Land today owns and manages 56 community But it would be impossible to follow in the Foundation and Vineyard Conservation gardens across eight Boston neighborhoods footsteps of these literary giants had it not Society, Wakeman led the fundraising efforts and helps coordinate activities related to been for the generosity of Helen C. Butler of to protect Wasque from development by all of the city’s more than 200 community New York City and Stockbridge, MA (1843- purchasing it for The Trustees in 1968. In the gardens. 1929). In 1899, Butler donated 260 acres of the 1970s, she made significant contributions reservation in memory of her sister, Rosalie, to help add protected land to the Trustees’ Women in to “prevent vandals from disfiguring it with Cape Poge Wildlife Refuge, and in 1976 the Arts & Sciences advertising signs...[and] that it might be she donated her 15-acre Japanese-inspired Massachusetts has always been home to preserved forever for the enjoyment of the gardens, called Mytoi, to the organization. In innovative scientists, creative thinkers, and public.” Later, she added an endowment for its 1970 she received the Trustees’ Conservation famous artists. It’s no wonder, therefore, care that has supported maintenance of the Award for “distinguished service in the field that some exceptional women in the arts site for the thousands of its annual visitors. of conservation and the environment.” and sciences found inspiration and respite in some of the Trustees’ special places. MABEL LOUISE 2 CHOATE DOYLE THE MISSION HOUSE DOYLE COMMUNITY 6 AND NAUMKEAG PARK & CENTER Stockbridge Leominster Donated in 1948 Donated in 1961 and 1959 Louise Doyle Mabel Choate 4 (1912-2007) was a (1870-1949) first learned about The Trustees practicing Buddhist from her friend and collaborator, landscape and an extraordinary philanthropist who architect (and former Trustees board supported causes ranging from Little League CLARA ENDICOTT SEARS & member) Fletcher Steele. For over 30 years, to Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts to the LOUISA MAY ALCOTT Choate and Steele transformed Naumkeag work of Mother Teresa. She challenged The FRUITLANDS MUSEUM Harvard (the family home she inherited in 1929) Trustees to “do something important” with Fruitlands Museum plays host to the stories into the stunning 20th-century designed her donation of 170 acres of land and house in of many extraordinary women, including landscape visitors marvel at today. Choate Leominster. In 2004, her dream was realized museum founder Clara Endicott Sears (1863- left the property to the organization to help when the organization dedicated the LEED- 1960) and former resident Louisa May Alcott preserve the “aura of good times and gracious certified Doyle Center on her property. (1832-1888). Sears was a prolific author and living” enjoyed by her family at Naumkeag. dedicated community advocate. Her love In 1927, she purchased the historic Mission EUGENIE of American history and the Nashua River House, which was in disrepair on the hill near 5 BEAL Valley inspired her life’s work as a collector Naumkeag. She relocated it to Main Street, BOSTON COMMUNITY and preservationist. At age 50, Sears realized hired Steele to design colonial gardens and GARDENS, 8 BOSTON the historical significance of the farmhouse buildings around the restored house, and NEIGHBORHOODS at the foot of her property. filled it with colonial-era antiques. It operated Founded Boston The Fruitlands Farmhouse, a National as an independent museum until Choate Natural Areas Network in 1977 Historic Landmark built in 1826, takes its donated it to The Trustees in 1948, along with Eugenie “Genie” Beal (1921-2013) was name from the transcendentalist experiment a significant endowment for its upkeep. committed to preserving the green spaces of that took place here in 1843. Led by Bronson MARY P. Boston, and firmly believed that people living Alcott and Charles Lane, they called this WAKEM A N in cities needed to see and experience nature. place Fruitlands because they intended CAPE POGE A dedicated urban environmentalist, former to live off the “fruits of the land.” Alcott WILDLIFE Boston Mayor Tom Menino eulogized her brought his wife and four young daughters, REFUGE, WASQUE, as “the mother of green space in the City of including a 10-year-old Louisa May. While AND MYTOI Chappaquiddick Boston.” In 1977, the Boston Redevelopment the experiment was short-lived, its role in the Island, Martha’s Authority identified thousands of acres of transcendentalist movement and influence Vineyard threatened open space in the city of Boston. on a young Louisa May Alcott are undeniable. Donated in 1959 Many visitors may also recognize the 3 (through 1995), 1967, Concerned by what they heard, Beal and five and 1976 other concerned citizens created Boston Farmhouse attic as the inspiration of those Mary P. Wakeman (1901-1984) devoted Natural Areas Network (BNAN) to protect now iconic scenes from her famous book her life to land conservation on Martha’s urban wilds from potential loss. In 2014, Little Women. SUMMER 2020 17 41689.CC2020.indd 17 7/6/20 10:51 AM SARAH she died in 1984, Miss Peabody willed over stylized landscapes and other subjects are ALDEN 700 acres to The Trustees, thus establishing more imaginary than realistic. Her paintings BRADFORD two of the organization’s most beloved were exhibited in New York and Paris in the RIPLEY reservations. 1970s and 80s. Her favorite place perhaps THE OLD MANSE was Choate Island, where the couple could Concord POLLY live in complete privacy in a small cottage “What a home indeed 7 THAYER with views of Ipswich Bay, surrounded by it has been to me, STARR grazing sheep. In 1974 she donated her own which I would not exchange for all that wealth WEIR RIVER FARM Ipswich estate (separate from Castle Hill) to or art have to offer!” Hingham The Trustees, now part of the Crane Wildlife Sarah Alden Bradford Ripley (1793-1867) and “I seek what the form Refuge. Following her death in 1991, she was her husband, Samuel, a minister, came to live will reveal of essence, buried alongside Cornelius on Choate Island. in the Ripley family home, the Old Manse, in what the visible 1846. Less than two years later, Samuel died 9 will tell me of the suddenly, leaving Sarah a widow. She was by invisible.” Women Who Made all accounts an extraordinary woman for her Ethel Randolph (“Polly”) Thayer Starr (1904- History: Justice, time. Self-taught, Ripley was fluent in many 2006) was drawn to art from an early age. Freedom, and Equality languages and was a scholar and tutor of Raised in a family of prominent Boston legal Standing up in the face of injustice takes classics, mathematics, philosophy, astronomy, scholars, it was at Weir River Farm—her extraordinary courage. The stories of two and botany. Her wide-ranging knowledge family’s summer estate in Hingham—that women who did just that can be traced back brought her many admirers among the Starr’s captivation with the offerings of to places now protected by The Trustees.