Rowe Woods - History Information and Photograph Chronicle Documentary


	Rowe Woods was founded In 1965, a handful of dedicated and visionary naturalists, including Stanley M. Rowe Sr., Karl H. Maslowski, Kay Benedict, Helen Black and other people, created an organization where people could experience, study and enjoy the natural world. Cincinnati Nature Center's original site, Rowe Woods in Milford, Ohio, was the physical location for this new organization. Rowe Woods Nature Center Photo Gallery. Jane Stotts Time Line History Link Rowe Woods and the Cincinnati Nature Center will stand as a memorial to Stan Rowe and Carl Krippendorf. Stan was on the board of the National Audubon Society when it was left a large estate in Greenwich, Connecticut, together with a substantial amount of money "to educate people in the ways that nature works and how they should be safeguarded." This resulted in the formation of Audubon's first Nature Center. Cincinnati Nature Center at Rowe Woods, Milford Ohio. Stan's mind was prepared, therefore, when in 1965, as he told the story later, "Karl Maslowski (noted nature photographer and writer) came to me and said, 'You know that Carl and Mary Krippendorf died a few weeks ago and it would be a shame to have that wonderful piece of property split up into residential lots.' 1 said it would be an excellent location for one of the new Nature Centers. We went at once to see the Krippendorf daughter, Rosan Adams and she was delighted with the idea. She said, 'I wish 1 could give it to you but 1 can't. 1 will sell it for the amount that was used in my parents' estates.' " Rosan and her sister gave up a lot to leave home intact. Stan Rowe dedicated himself wholeheartedly to the project: developed plans with the help of the National Audubon Society, raised practically all the funds needed for the purchase, planning and development of the property (raised $2 million of endowment funds after he had passed age 80), organized a board and made the dream a reality. "When he had the idea someone ought to give, he never let up on it," Snowden Rowe.









At the Nature Center's fourteenth year, Stan was able to report "we have increased the Krippendorf's 175 acres to 755 to which should be added Neil and Camilla McElroy's gift to us of their Long Branch Farm with its 535 acres." The Center then had over 3500 members and was completely solvent. "This has all been done," he concluded, "without receiving any public funds. Today Rowe Woods has expanded or time by acquire adjacent properties and when Wildwood, the old Groesbeck Estate was acquired and is now even larger with more room to wander. There is a whole new area to the south and adjacent to Rowe Woods that is a new park but 48 acres of trails with trees, meadows and wetlands. Stan Rowe and the others would be proud of what they started. The Cincinnati Nature Center's education programs once reached 12,000 school children each year. The Cincinnati Nature Center at Rowe Woods is going through many changes. The Old guard of naturalists are being replaced by a new regime of neo-environmentalist. The old mission statement has been scraped and a new mission in place. The old idea of allowing the land to return to it's natural state has been changed to a new Disneyesque type of a for profit commercial nature place. A new simulated nature playground has replaced once pristine fields and woodlands. Gone are many of the wooden walkways and areas kids use to explore nature naturally. CNC has added a pre-school and is now planning of a huge new members center. Membership is growing but the quality of pure nature do to the commercial attractions. Carl Krippendorf's property originally named Karlsruhe Gardens, meaning “Karl’s place of peace,” after World War I the name was changed by Carl and Mary to Lob’s Wood. Then in 1965 it became Rowe Woods. Cincinnati Nature Center is in Milford Ohio, this was the physical location for this new organization. This website is not affiliated with the CNC. Thanks to Carl and Mary Krippendorf for leaving Lob's Wood a nature paradise to build upon, and with out you Stanley Rowe this would not not have such a beautiful place to save. Sadly your dream, and you mission statement is no more. Rowe Woods has grown to the North and to the South since then. Here you will find before and after pictures since the old Cincinnati Nature Center mission statement was scraped Pictures of colorful signs now block once beautiful views of the Lotus Pond and along the trails and paths many things commercial little signs and simulated tracks for education. The CNC has gone commercial, and it is no longer a nature haven for the purists. Millions for simulated nature playground, a few thousand to save the Ash trees. Rowe Woods History Information The web site is for the enjoyment of all who have visited or do visit Rowe Woods. This website is not affiliated with the Cincinnati Nature Center. It is to enjoy Rowe Woods and remember in detail the people who founded it and its main purpose. The website is to photograph a documentary and chronicle the history of Rowe Woods and CNC. This site is dedicated to Stanley M. Rowe Sr., Karl H. Maslowski, Kay Benedict, Helen Black, Katherine T. Nyce, William J. Whittaker, Jim & Jeanne Anderson. As well as the other founders of the Cincinnati Nature Center Dennis Camp Copyright © 2021

Rowe Woods History Information