Tregaron Conservancy Supporters

For years, several non-profit organizations such as the Cleveland Park Historical Society, the Friends of Tregaron Foundation, the Cleveland Park Citizens Association and the Woodley Park Citizens Association, as well as the Advisory Neighborhood Commission, have all supported the preservation of the historically significant Tregaron Estate through restoration and continued preservation.  Recently, the DC Preservation League placed Tregaron Estate on its “Most Endangered Places” list – noting the need to “draw attention to Washington, DC’s, historically, culturally and architecturally significant places that may be threatened with ill-advised alteration or demolition through neglect or abandonment.”  Specifically, the DC Preservation League stated that Tregaron’s “landscape has been allowed to deteriorate and Shipman’s design is barely recognizable.  Development has threatened the green space of the estate a number of times.”  

Over the past few years, various foundations have awarded money to the Friends of Tregaron, supporting the group’s efforts to preserve Tregaron Estate.  The Margaret Reed Foundation (Idaho), the Cleveland Park Historical Society (Washington, DC), the Witherspoon Trust (Texas) and the New York Community Trust have made generous donations to help protect Tregaron Estate, its historic landscape and its natural surrounding environment. 

A draft Cultural Landscape Report was finalized through the gracious support of the Dorothea de Schweinitz Preservation Fund of the National Trust for Historic Preservation (www.nthp.org).  In addition, Tregaron Conservancy has been awarded a grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation to design a new garden entry to the Washington International School and the Conservancy property on Macomb Street.  This design will be based on a design prepared by Ellen Biddle Shipman for the area. 

Another generous supporter of the Conservancy is Casey Trees (www.caseytrees.org). Casey Trees has generously contributed over 30 trees in 2008 to begin the replanting of our historic gardens.  130 volunteers from all over the District came to help us plant these trees. 

How can I help preserve Tregaron Estate?

As the property steward of the landmark, the Tregaron Conservancy will be responsible for the landscape’s restoration and maintenance.  This is a huge project that will need the support and involvement of many, many people.  Sign Up for the Tregaron Conservancy email list to receive news of our progress (Link), receive updates about community clean-up dates and other events at Tregaron.  You can also help by contributing money to support the Conservancy’s important work.  See our Donate page for easy instructions.

What is the future of historic Tregaron Estate?

The most exciting part of this landmark agreement is that Tregaron Estate will be open to the public!  Once the Tregaron Conservancy has hired a landscaping firm to remove fallen trees and clear the land of the poison ivy, we will invite the community to help in cleaning up the property.  We will hire a landscape architect that will oversee the rehabilitation and most of the work will be performed by paid professionals.  One area that we want to tackle initially is to restore the extensive bridal path and pedestrian trails throughout the Estate.  With beautiful stone bridges and three flowing streams meandering through the woodland, Tregaron is a lovely place to hike, walk, picnic and enjoy nature.  There is a lily pond (that has been silted in) that we plan to return to its original beauty.  Dog walkers and children already love Tregaron’s open green grassy, rolling meadows.  Eventually, the Tregaron Conservancy plans to hold cultural and educational programs – lectures, concerts, guided walks, architectural tours, nature activities and student projects – all open to the public and at no charge.  The possibilities are endless.

The Tregaron Conservancy is organized solely for the purposes of restoring a very special, historically significant property, the Tregaron Estate.  This important landmark is recognized on both a city and national level.  The land will be held in perpetuity by the Tregaron Conservancy and open to the general public.