Stephen Bob Photography for Visit Alexandria
This 1750s historic home at River Farm serves as the headquarters for the American Horticultural Society.
The American Horticultural Society is planning to sell its 25-acre property and historic building, River Farm, as part of an acquisition by a national trade association.
In a statement posted on its website, officials from AHS, a membership-based organization that focuses on American horticulture, wrote: “Today we find ourselves at a critical crossroad. Financial challenges on a number of fronts, greatly magnified by the COVID-19 pandemic, require us to carefully explore options for how the AHS mission can continue to live on for the next 100 years, and beyond.”
The AHS may be acquired by the American Public Gardens Association, formerly known as the American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta. APGA is a professional trade and advocacy association of public gardens and public garden caretakers, not a public membership organization like AHS. Some AHS board members reportedly have connections to APGA.
“To accomplish this, AHS would sell our 25-acre property and home to our headquarters, River Farm. Proceeds from the sale of River Farm coupled with other AHS assets would provide for the continuation of AHS as part of APGA by supporting an enhanced range of gardening and sustainability programs long into the future,” AHS officials wrote.
Alexandria Living has reached out to AHS interim Executive Director Bob Brackman for additional information. Brackman joined AHS in late 2019 after retiring from the San Antonio Botanical Garden and then serving as the interim vice president of horticulture at Holden Forest and Gardens in Cleveland. He has also worked in Dallas and in Nashville.
The real estate listing for River Farm is expected to be live next week with an estimated price of $15 to $30 million.
Historic Building Dates to the 1750s
River Farm is a large historic property with beautiful gardens and lawns overlooking the Potomac River. The home on the property, with large windows and porches, dates to the late 1750s and is often used for social events, weddings and meetings.
George Washington bought the property in 1760. After his death, the property changed hands a number of times before the American Horticultural Society acquired it in 1973 and moved its headquarters there from the City of Alexandria.
The property was almost sold in the early 1970s to Soviet interests, which was quite concerning to a number of people as the United States was still in the Cold War.
"Among those concerned by the potential sale was Enid Annenberg Haupt, philanthropist, gardener, and member of the Board of Directors of the American Horticultural Society. Through her exceeding generosity, the Society was able to purchase the 27 acres then comprising the Wellington estate, agreeing to keep the property open for the enjoyment of the American people," according to the organization's website.
At the time, it was granted to AHS with the stipulation that it always be open to the public free of charge.
Residents Concerned About New Ownership
River Farm is listed on the Fairfax County Inventory of Historic Sites, but that inventory does not provide the property with any special protections. According to Fairfax County's historic inventory website, being listed is an "honorary designation, and does not impose restrictions or limits as to what an owner can do with his property. The Fairfax County Comprehensive Plan ... encourages their preservation when possible."
Despite its age, the property is not listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register or the National Register of Historic Places.
While the property would be prime land for a significant development, AHS officials wrote on the website that they would be looking for a buyer “who respects the surrounding neighborhoods as well as the conservation and historical value of the property.”
A representative for AHS wrote in an email to Alexandria Living Sunday evening: "AHS has engaged a Realtor who has been tasked with identifying a buyer who will understand and respect the history of the site and the importance of compatibility with surrounding neighborhoods and comply with all land use restrictions on the site."
However, residents who live near River Farm have said on the discussion board Nextdoor that they are concerned that zoning could change after the sale, which could lead to development and loss of the peaceful, open space.
Katherine Ward, president of the Wellington Civic Association, said that on Nextdoor, “There has been a ton of uprising. People are very unhappy with this.”
The Wellington Civic Association, which includes the River Farm neighborhood, has had extensive involvement with AHS for decades, including hosting community events on the property.
In particular, local residents have said they are concerned that a developer may want to cut up the property and put a number of homes.
Under current rules, not all of the property could be developed — there are conservation easements in place, Ward said. East Boulevard is owned by the National Park Service.
“It’s private property, if they want to sell it, that’s certainly their right, but what we won’t be happy with is if they sell it to some developer who wants to build who-knows-what on it,” Ward said. “My community will not want to see multiple houses.”
In the meantime, the property remains open for tours and events. Upcoming events include yoga in the garden, a garden-based skin care workshop and a wildflower watercolor workshop. (See the AHS events calendar here.) AHS also hosts the popular Spring Garden market and an annual gardening awards ceremony. Until coronavirus limited travel, the organization also hosted multiple international garden-focused trips.
River Farm is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Admission is free but donations are accepted. Group tours may be arranged for a fee.
Learn more about the property and AHS at AHSGardening.org.
