Mary Mowry House Curatorship
Background
In 2011 Revive the Roots, a non-profit formed by recent highschool graduates, received permission and a lease from the Town of Smithfield and the Smithfield Land Trust to begin using a property donated by Mary Mowry as a hub for community, permaculture and ecological regeneration. The group organized clean-up days, planted fruit and nut trees, and developed a community garden. In 2013 they asked to embark on a project to revive the boarded up and rapidly deteriorating historic Mary Mowry House on the adjacent town-owned property. Developing a plan in collaboration with Preserve RI and the Smithfield Land Trust, Revive the Roots brought the house back into use and developed Rhode Island’s first live-in curatorship program. This curatorship program has transformed the historic Mowry House from an endangered, unlivable structure to a base of operations for the non-profit and landmark for the town.
Opportunity
Since 2014, through the dedicated work of its live-in curators, Revive the Roots has followed the town approved curatorship plans and invested $42,185 in cash value and $137,500 in sweat equity value, totaling $179,685.
This work has been a labor of love that has transformed a neglected historical structure into a landmark building and flagship program recognized by the Rhode Island Historical Preservation Commission as a creative and successful model for revitalizing endangered structures.
It is our current work to secure the Mary Mowry House through purchase from the Smithfield Municipal Land Trust.
Revive the Roots ownership of the Mary Mowry House will ensure that the community gardens, walking trails and outdoor facilities will continue to be maintained by on-site members of the organization and volunteers, and that the house will remain a site for education and land stewardship.
Revive the Roots’ flagship project Mowry Commons (21 acres that includes the Mary Mowry House) celebrated its 10th anniversary in April 2021. At a moment in time saturated with anxieties about the future of our planet and our political landscape, and the loss of opportunities for youth there is an acute need for public spaces that offer more. Lasting lessons from COVID-19 and 2020 teach us that outdoor spaces need to be functional, multi-purpose and equitable. Within the mission statement of Revive the Roots is a direct commitment to this need: “to create ecologically regenerative and dynamic social spaces…” is half of Revive the Roots’ two part mission. The second “… through the education and practice of permaculture” is the road map used to bring people together and steward the land. Individuals and groups have worked with Revive the Roots to create outdoor art galleries, grow their own food, run educational and creative programs and arts, music and culture events. Revive the Roots and Mowry Commons is an example of the good that can be achieved through multi-generational collaboration, youth led initiatives, and volunteer efforts.
This work has been a labor of love that has transformed a neglected historical structure into a landmark building and flagship program recognized by the Rhode Island Historical Preservation Commission as a creative and successful model for revitalizing endangered structures.
It is our current work to secure the Mary Mowry House through purchase from the Smithfield Municipal Land Trust.
Revive the Roots ownership of the Mary Mowry House will ensure that the community gardens, walking trails and outdoor facilities will continue to be maintained by on-site members of the organization and volunteers, and that the house will remain a site for education and land stewardship.
Revive the Roots’ flagship project Mowry Commons (21 acres that includes the Mary Mowry House) celebrated its 10th anniversary in April 2021. At a moment in time saturated with anxieties about the future of our planet and our political landscape, and the loss of opportunities for youth there is an acute need for public spaces that offer more. Lasting lessons from COVID-19 and 2020 teach us that outdoor spaces need to be functional, multi-purpose and equitable. Within the mission statement of Revive the Roots is a direct commitment to this need: “to create ecologically regenerative and dynamic social spaces…” is half of Revive the Roots’ two part mission. The second “… through the education and practice of permaculture” is the road map used to bring people together and steward the land. Individuals and groups have worked with Revive the Roots to create outdoor art galleries, grow their own food, run educational and creative programs and arts, music and culture events. Revive the Roots and Mowry Commons is an example of the good that can be achieved through multi-generational collaboration, youth led initiatives, and volunteer efforts.
Goals
In addition to keeping the house as a part of publicly accessible Smithfield history, Revive the Roots will continue to use the house and their mission as an inspiration for the achievements of volunteer efforts and responsible stewardship of farmland and nature. The Mowry House tells the story of Smithfield’s early families and of dedicated young people valuing historical structures while learning from past generations to bring a vulnerable historic house into its next phase of life. Revive the Roots will continue to manage the curatorship program, using the house as base of operations and an affordable residence for people dedicated to sustainable practices and volunteerism. This next chapter opens up the natural world and lessons from the past to be experienced by the public. It values the knowledge grown over generations of farming within the historic farming community of Smithfield, digs deeper to find the living roots of the forgotten pasts and pays respect by inspiring a future of collectively learning from and with nature.
Gratitude
This project has depended on the help and support of many people and organizations. We would like to particularly acknowledge: The Smithfield Land Trust, The Smithfield Town Council, Smithfield Historic Preservation Commission and Preserve Rhode Island.
For all inquiries please email hannah@revivetheroots.org with the subject line “Mary Mowry House”
Gratitude
This project has depended on the help and support of many people and organizations. We would like to particularly acknowledge: The Smithfield Land Trust, The Smithfield Town Council, Smithfield Historic Preservation Commission and Preserve Rhode Island.
For all inquiries please email hannah@revivetheroots.org with the subject line “Mary Mowry House”
Who was Mary Mowry?
Mary Mowry was born in Providence, but she fell in love with Smithfield. After retiring from a career in education, she dedicated her life to preserving Smithfield’s history and protecting its land. She donated more than 100 acres to the town through the Smithfield Land Trust. Part of her donation was the land that we call Mowry Commons, and her home, which serves as Revive the Roots’ headquarters. During her lifetime she was known for her beautiful and extensive flower gardens. In the twilight of her life and after her death these gardens were overtaken by weeds and her efforts were temporarily forgotten. As Revive the Roots has cleared brush, cut saplings and pulled weeds we have uncovered Mary’s treasures, Daffodils, tulips, iris, hyacinth, crocus and lilacs to name a few. It is our wish as the current stewards of Mary’s land to replant and expand these gardens. Revive the Roots is preserving Mary’s legacy so future generations can fall in love with Smithfield too.
Links and Articles
RI Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission, 35th annual Preservation Conference:
"Curators in the House: Creative Models for Stewardship"
Valley Breeze: Curating Community, April 14th 2021
Preserve Rhode Island: Mary Mowry House
"Curators in the House: Creative Models for Stewardship"
Valley Breeze: Curating Community, April 14th 2021
Preserve Rhode Island: Mary Mowry House
Visit
Next Open House on November 20th 2021, 12:30pm to 3:00pm
(please RSVP with hannah@revivetheroots.org if you wish to attend)
(please RSVP with hannah@revivetheroots.org if you wish to attend)
Mary Mowry House Curators
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