Posted on 06/13/2015 1:19:02 PM PDT by Borges
Billionaire and philanthropist David Rockefeller turns 100 Friday.
To mark the occasion, he has a gift for the people of Maine — a thousand acres of land on Mount Desert Island.
For more than a century, the Rockefellers have made their summer home on Mount Desert Island.
“It was always in David and Peggy Rockefeller’s plan to have their garden and these lands become public,” said Carole Plenty, CEO of the Land and Garden Preserve of Mount Desert Island.
To mark his 100th birthday, David Rockefeller, the former Chase Bank CEO and oldest living billionaire, is donating a thousand acres to the preserve for Mainers to enjoy for generations to come.
The land is located between Seal and Northeast Harbors, and includes Little Long Pond, the Rockefeller family’s historic boathouse, and miles of trails.
“Most people who visit here are drawn by the views up the pond to the Penobscot Mountain. It’s got trails and carriage roads that wind around. It’s got amazing habitat and natural diversity,” said David MacDonald, president of the group Friends of Acadia.
The property is directly adjacent to Acadia National Park.
“100 years after the park was formed, there’s still an ability to do something like this. It was Mr. Rockefeller’s father who was doing this 100 years ago, so to have it happen now in 20-15 is very inspiring,” said MacDonald.
The land is home to wildlife of all sorts, frequented by locals for its hiking, horseback riding, picnicking and just taking in the scenery.
“Any time you have water, mountains, boathouses, ocean behind us, you’ve got everything. Multi generations can enjoy it at the same time,” said Plenty.
“Well it’s a huge honor first. Because we’ve been entrusted with a huge resource that’s loved by this community, loved by the people who visit the park. It’s also a huge responsibility to maintain it and to preserve it and to keep it as well as the Rockefeller family has kept it for several generations,” said Plenty.
Hmmm
If I remember correctly, John Rockefeller’s home and gardens in Ormond Beach, FL was donated to the town, or county, or state. The family didn’t want to pay for the upkeep and expected the taxpayers to bear the burden. I think it was turned into a private school for a while.
Thanks a lot!
“Though a lifelong Republican and party contributor, like his father in the dynastic line, he is a committed member of the moderate “Rockefeller Republicans” that arose out of the political ambitions and public policy stance of his brother Nelson. In 2006 he teamed up with former Goldman Sachs executives and others to form a fund-raising group based in Washington, Republicans Who Care, that supported moderate Republican candidates over more ideological contenders.”
donating to government is retarded
Probably the most evil major character to ever arise from the United States.
And now he is another day closer to his eternal reward.
He just off loaded valuable waterfront property that would be keept as is so that he would not have to pay taxes on it. This will be a fiscal hit to the other taxpayers in the town of Mount Desert.
I agree emphatically. Screw the traitor.
I don’t think there’s another piece of property on the island that belongs to the state of Maine( if indeed it becomes ‘state’ park land). It’ll be interesting to see how they butt heads with the Feds.
Is old David still trying to shape the world to his liking at age 100?
Is he the Rockefeller who gave St. John Virgin Islands as a National Park? I’ve been to Acadia and to St. John both. Wonderful places.
Quite amazing really - the grandson of founder of the petroleum industry (John, D. Rockefeller) is still alive. In fact, David Rockefeller was an adult when his grandfather died. It seems like such long ago history, but her he is, a direct connection to it, still in this world.
David Rockefeller’s other grandfather was the only slightly less well known Nelson Aldrich - the progressive plutocrat who was instrumental in giving us such malign influences as the 16th Amendment (the National Income Tax) and the Federal Reserve. As a conservative, I consider him to be an agent of Satan.
Actually, I think it’s great. A lot of properties in NY were donated by the Rockefellers, and I don’t care if they got a tax write-off.
They actually acquired them when there was no federal income tax...if only we could go back to those days!
I don’t think he worries too much about taxes.
The town of Mount Desert and Mount Desert Island are two different places.
The town of Mount Desert is only a tiny portion of Mount Desert Island. This land is not located in the town of Mount Desert. It’s located between Seal Harbor and Northeast Harbor, which are areas of stunning beauty; they are very small towns, with an even smaller population in the winter months.
Martha Stewart, by the way, has a 63-acre oceanfront estate on a hilltop in Seal Harbor that was once owned by Edsel Ford.
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