We are excited to announce that River View Farm was named to the National Register of Historic Places on December 16, 2020. Much of the land that Ivy Creek Natural Area now occupies was founded as River View Farm by Hugh Carr, a former enslaved person. He began purchasing the land shortly after emancipation and by 1890, River View Farm was one of the largest African American-owned farms in Albemarle County. Hugh Carr's daughter, Mary Carr Greer, and her husband, Conly Greer, owned River View Farm after Carr's death. Mary Carr Greer was the principal of Albemarle Training School, the only higher education available to African Americans in northern Albemarle County at the time; Greer Elementary School is named after her. Conly Greer was Albemarle County's first African American extension agent, and used River View Farm as a showpiece of modern farming practices, including the construction of the barn in the late 1930s. Recognition by the National Register of Historic Places, as well as the previous recognition by the Virginia Landmarks Register, reflects the prominent role of the Carr-Greer family in the community and as part of the greater history of Viginia and the United States.

Photo: Rochelle Garwood

Last month we welcomed a new corporate sponsor; this month, we express our gratitude for the continuing support we are receiving from the Charlottesville Wild Birds Unlimited store and Hantzmon Wiebel LLP. Please support the businesses that support us! If you are a business owner who is interested in supporting ICF, please contact our Executive Director, Sue Erhardt.

The talk will be held via Zoom on Sunday, February 14 at 2 PM. For more details, please register at the Eventbrite link.

We've added a new self-guided audio tour to our Plants of Ivy Creek museum. Focused on the Education Building area, the tour shares information about the building itself, the history of the immediate land, and the gardens that surround it. The Plants of Ivy Creek tours can be accessed through the izi.TRAVEL app. If you prefer to use your home computer you can access it by clicking here. This link will lead you to a complete list of the audio tours available at Ivy Creek Natural Area.

In 2015, forester Tom Dierauf completed a comprehensive study of the forests of Ivy Creek Natural Area, examining them on a stand-by-stand basis, considering their age, history, health, and composition. In 2020, former Board member Diana Foster, with assistance from Nicholas Foster, Tom Jones, and Board members John Scrivani and Tom Wild, revisited the trees and other landmarks that Dierauf recorded in 2015 and noted their condition, remeasuring where that was appropriate. A few new trees were added, as well. This update has now been added to the original study; the full report is available here. If you've already downloaded the 2015 study and would just like to download the update, that's available here.

Your response to last month's appeal has been heartwarming! I can hardly express how thankful we are for your generosity. Thanks to you, we look forward to continuing to provide natural and cultural history education and stewardship of our beloved Ivy Creek Natural Area in the coming months. We've got lots in the works, including more Ivy Talks, new exhibits for the barn, and trail improvements. And if "you" doesn't mean YOU...well, it's not too late! You can donate online at the link below, or through the mail at P.O. Box 956, Charlottesville, VA 22902.

With gratitude,

Rochelle Garwood

Director of Operations