Historic Properties that Feel Like Home

As we travel to different parks around Fairfax County and note the awesome physical features that we get to interact with and see, we have also gotten to learn about some pretty amazing programs offered by the Park Authority. There are many initiatives happening around the parks that may not come to mind immediately when thinking about Parks and Recreation, yet they are just as important to our park system. One initiative that has really interested us since we learned about it a few weeks ago is the Resident Curator Program (RCP). 

The Resident Curator Program is an innovative approach to preserving the historic houses and buildings within the Fairfax County park system. RCP provides an opportunity to live in a historic home, free of charge, in exchange for the time and financial investment required to restore the property through an approved treatment plan.  RCP ensures that properties that are significant to our county’s history can get the attention and care that they deserve. 

This program was established in Fairfax County in 2014, and since then resident curatorship has been granted to dedicated individuals, groups and organizations that have agreed to rehabilitate, maintain and bring life back into historic properties around the county. We also discovered that the RCP encourages curators to provide opportunities for public access to these properties, allowing individuals to learn more about the historical significance of these properties and the resident curators who are maintaining them. 

We learned about this program when we passed by the Turner Farmhouse while visiting Turner Farm Park. This property was built in 1905 and contains several historic structures. It was great to see first-hand the impact of the Resident Curator Program and can appreciate the value of RCP in restoring important properties like this one and, in many cases, offer valuable public services. At this location, the resident curator – the Turner Farmhouse Foundation – partnered with the Becky Love Foundation and Comfort Zone Camps to create a retreat center on the property that will host bereavement programs.

At the Ellmore Farmhouse at Frying Pan Farm Park, resident curator ServiceSource, restored the farmhouse to serve individuals with disabilities through the Long-Term Community Integration Services program. Here, adults with disabilities have opportunities to tend a garden, interact with farm animals, serve as guides for tours of the historic house and participate in a variety of other therapeutic and recreational activities. The addition of the Blossom Café and Bloom Gift Shop, which sells snacks handcrafted items also provides opportunity for employment to program participants.

Some of the responsibilities that resident curators have during their curatorship include surveying, monitoring property conditions, conducting maintenance and carrying out the personalized treatment plan for their property. It seems very similar to owning any other home in Fairfax County and these resident curators are playing an active role in making an impact in our community. 

When we first started our field trips across the county, we knew very little about the Resident Curator Program. Now we keep an eye out for any more properties that are included in this special process and want to learn more about the stories of the curators. These properties carry a large historical significance to the county, making these curators an integral part in keeping our important history alive and well!