"Untitled 1" A Meditation on Landscape by Alice French
"Untitled 1" A Meditation on Landscape by Alice French, Director of Education & Programs at Menokin
Each morning on my drive to Menokin, I cross the Rappahannock River. Perched on the riverbank in a barren tree, sits an eaglet hunting for fish. As I move along past farm fields, winding through woods and over creeks I am very much aware of the lush beauty surrounding me. As I turn on the gravelly entry drive to the property, there is an immediate sense of mystery. Where is this road taking me? What is ahead? Continuing on, the road is edged with wild cornflowers, daisies, and corn poppies while Indigo Buntings dart ahead and a turkey waddles into the brush.
When the Menokin Foundation was formed in 1995, the early organizers were acutely aware of the significance of this cultural landscape left mostly undisturbed for hundreds of years and of the natural beauty it also instilled. From the beginning, it was understood that a National Historic Landmark represents not only the material culture we save, but the environment in which we live- the land/waters we travel along. The two go hand in hand, and so, a Land Conservation Agreement was made in perpetuity to protect this critical landscape. Perpetuity means FOREVER. (I’ll save a piece on the important players in this process for another dialogue.)
What strikes me is the sense of wonder, awe and deep respect conservation of this place has brought forward. The desire to preserve an architectural structure as a ruin, via glass, evokes memories while envisioning the future- immediately there is a feeling of time travel. And the conscious decision to connect one’s historic house experience simultaneously to its surrounding environment is profound- looking beyond these walls while feeling the human presence of every hand that touched these walls inside. It’s difficult to express, but when you come here, you get it.
Menokin retains a spiritual/transformative presence. As the most recent stewards of this landscape, we acknowledge the original stewards and our neighbors, the Rappahannock Tribe, whose ancestors named this place. With great care we are doing our best to document, preserve and remember the stories of all who have crossed this landscape. Conservation and preservation includes protection of the earth, water and the sky- like that American Bald Eagle you may have seen on the way in. Perhaps this place will give you pause to contemplate how we can best remember and record each unique American story, including yours.
