Giving Rye is a new occasional feature highlighting non-profits and community groups in and around the City of Rye. Today meet Aaron Griffiths of The Bird Homestead & Meeting House Conservancy.
Your name: Aaron Griffiths
Organization: The Bird Homestead & Meeting House Conservancy
Your role: Trustee
MyRye.com: Tell us your organization’s mission.
Griffiths: To promote an appreciation of historical discovery and preservation, inspired by the legacies of The Bird Family, William Voris, and the Rye Meeting House’s myriad incarnations and inhabitants.
These legacies span from biology and earth sciences to art and children’s literature, homesteading to hands-on learning – providing visitors with endless opportunities to learn, engage, and dial back the drama for a bit.
Nestled between Milton Road and the Blind Brook Estuary, our vision is for these three historic properties to become a hands-on learning center for the entire community to enjoy.
How long have you operated in Rye?
Griffiths: Since 2008, 15 years.
What programming or work in Rye is the organization best known for?
Griffiths:
- Seasonal Lectures at The Meeting House and virtually, diving into topics ranging from Women’s Suffrage to Sustainability & Climate Change to Hidden Black History. Our next lecture series will begin in Spring 2024.
- William Voris Archaeological Dig: Over the past two summers, we have engaged with scientists and local community volunteers to undertake a rare archaeological dig on the property between The Bird Homestead and The Meeting House. William Voris was an African American entrepreneur in the bustling harbor area of the 19th-century Hamlet of Milton. While the buildings themselves no longer stand, we plan to locate and mark the archaeological footprint of his buildings to honor and promote the success of William Voris and his family in pre-Civil War Rye.
- Restoration & Preservation Core to our mission is repairing, restoring and preserving the historic buildings on the property. Having completed a full restoration of the Meeting House at 642 Milton Road, we are constantly researching, planning and restoring the remaining buildings, an arduous but satisfying process. Currently, we are securing the foundation of the Bird Homestead’s rear outbuilding. Once Henry Bird’s personal woodworking shop and science lab, this building will play a key role in our educational programming as a place for young people to discover the crafts of woodworking, nature illustration, and scientific drawing–all in the tradition of Henry Bird and his daughter, Alice Bird Erikson, a talented and well-respected nature illustrator.
Looking forward to 2024, what will be your top initiatives?
Griffiths:
- Expanding the Board of Trustees so that our organization’s next phase is fueled by a diverse set of passions, expertise, and ideas from Rye and our surrounding communities.
- After completing our long-term site plan at the end of 2023, we will be leaning forward into the organization and direction of our programming and restoration projects, which we believe will benefit from more unique points-of- view and diverse passions of an expanded Board and formation of an Auxiliary Board.
- Launching the first phase of our educational programming with hands-on workshops in the Barn and Woodworking Shop. The first classes will include an Introduction to Paleontology with Carl Mehling of the American Museum of Natural History, Intro to Archaeology with archaeologist Sara Mascia, as well as a children’s reading hour, featuring first edition children’s books collected by Doris Bird for the Rye Free Reading Room, where she was the Children’s Librarian for three decades.
- Continued repair, restoration, and preservation of the buildings and property.
Tell us about the population you serve and how they can get involved with your programming and services.
Griffiths: The Bird Homestead and Meeting House Conservancy serves the community of Rye and surrounding communities who have an interest in history, ecology, and hands-on learning.
Are you a 501(c)(3) non-profit with tax exempt status?
Griffiths: Yes.
Looking back across 2023, what were your organization’s top achievements?
Griffiths:
- High School Volunteer Program: Over the course of the Spring, Summer and Fall, our 17 high school volunteers earned more than 186 hours toward their community service requirements for Rye High School. We were genuinely blown away by the students’ proactivity and positivity as they effortlessly moved between jobs, which ranged from mowing the 2 acre property to organizing our growing library to outlining an entire social media plan. After a successful test run this year, we will be offering student internships in partnership with RHS throughout 2024. The internships will closely follow our mission, providing opportunities in historical discovery & preservation, biology & earth sciences, art & children’s literature, homesteading, and hands-on learning.
- Winter/Spring Lecture series focused on how historic properties can teach how to address Climate Change.
- Frankly, our most challenging efforts over the past year were surviving the unexpected deaths of two friends and organization members, Jon Pattengill and Anne Stillman, our Board President.
How can local residents support your organization?
Griffiths: There are three key ways people get involved with the Bird: educational programming, volunteer & board opportunities, and financial support.
What local Rye residents and area businesses have been the longest, steadiest supporters of your organization?
Griffiths: The Garden Club and Little Garden Club of Rye, Mayor’s office, Westchester Audubon, Museum Association of New York, and many others.
Thanks, Aaron!
Organization’s website (coming January 2024).
Specific donation link for online donations.
