Rescue Marion Carll Farm
The Marion Carll farm in Commack L.I, NY is an incredibly rare 1860 time capsule with all it's buildings, home contents and furnishings from before that time to 1968 when Ms. Carll passed, leaving it to the local school district with the condition that it become an agricultural/historical/educational farm museum for the community and surrounding residents. It now consists of just under 9 acres.
Historically school districts are terrible stewards of such gifts and this has suffered a horrendous amount of neglect in the last 40+ years. With today's awareness of the benefits of locally grown organic produce, historic/open spaces preservation and the human need for "sense of place", it is appalling this National Register gem lies in such condition.
We are a pending 501 C3 formed to acquire, restore and sustainably run the
farm in perpetuity in accordance with Ms. Carll's wishes in ways both traditional and current that respect the farm's integrity. Because of it's rarity as an intact multi-generational farm of a single family, it qualifies for virtually all major grants in this genre, but we must secure a lease with first right to purchase from the school district for whom showing up-front monies is mandatory; rather than allowing us an application period of startup. We are a team of passionate career historic preservationists in either architecture, archiving or restoration/conservation who've formed a multi-faceted solution that will fund much of the restoration after startup...and sustain beyond.
This is likely our only chance to rescue it from competing interests: a
local university looking to build a veterinary school and a construction company wishing to build a municipal park and food court while using the outbuildings for their business. Both would do irreparable harm to the integrity of the farm and deny community full-time access of what was always intended for them.
We invite you to visit our website: www.marioncarllfarmpreserve.com to learn more about this incredible place, our vision and our solution to restore and sustain.