Since its inception in 1963, Flanders has become an integral part of the community, serving as a land trust, nature preserve and center for environmental education.
The nature center owns or manages some 1300 acres of land in Woodbury, Middlebury, Southbury and Bethlehem, has a full-time education director and commands the respect and support of the town's people.
To accurately trace the history of Flanders nature Center, as long-time Board of Directors member Virginia Hart did for Voices, a time line must be drawn beginning in 1926 when the Van Vleck family purchased 10 acres of land on both side of Flanders Road. One year later, the Van Flecks moved into the white farm house that stands on the cored of Flanders and Church Hill Roads.
At the time of the move, Natalie Van Vleck was an active artist producing paintings that sill hang in the farm house, After inheriting money in 1928 from the May family at New York, Natalie built an art studio next to the farmhouse, allowing her to focus on painting.
The Van Vlecks added to their landholdings with the 1934 purchase of 108 acres of adjoining land from Connecticut Light and Power.
The following year, Natalie's devotion to painting would subside as she became more involved in running the Van Vleck farm. Also in 1935, she attended a turkey shoot with the neighboring Weeden family. For her efforts in the competition, Natalie won a live turkey which led to the creation of the turkey farm on the property.
Soon, Natalie's turkey farm was in full swing as she set up an egg incubator and built a walk-in freezer in the basement of the house. Before long, turkeys raised on the Van Vleck farm were being shipping across the country.
The farm expanded once again when Natalie purchased 75 acres of land south of Church Hill Road in 1949. The property includes a house and barn which is leased out by the nature center.
By 1955, she turned her energy to raising sheep, displaying the type of dedication that assures the same success she achieved with her paintings and the turkey farm. Natalie's sheep were considered one of the five best flocks east of the Mississippi.
In later years, this dedication would be the driving force to the creation and success of the nature center.
As Natalie began entering the twilight of her life, she became concerned about the future of her property. In 1960, she consulted the Soil Conservation Service, the Nature Center division of the National Audubon Society and John Ripley Forbes, the president of the National Science Foundation for Youth, for information on how to go about preserving her beloved farm.
These groups provided Natalie with a wealth of knowledge, enabling her to incorporate Flanders Nature Center as a non-profit organization on March 28, 1963. Flanders had a seven-member board of directors, an advisory council and roughly 200 acres of land.
The spring of 1964 saw the arrival of Duncan McDougall, the nature center's first naturalist, and thus began a period of great activity and planning with the cooperation of the Junior League of Waterbury.
Junior League members took on the educational side of the nature center and were generous in their giving, donating funds for the trail house, a truck, tractor, tools and numerous other projects.
In 1965, Flanders Nature Center signed a lease with the J. H. Whittemore Corporation for the use of 700 acres of land of land off Route 64 in Woodbury. Known today as the Whittemore Sanctuary, the property includes a large bog and is leased on a year-to-year basis.
Flanders recently was able to raise the necessary funds to purchase the Whittemore Sanctuary.
With the era of subdivisions, Flanders became the recipient of several property donations and easements. In 1973, Flanders was given the Manville Kettle behind the Woodbury Post Office, followed in 1976 by a five-acre tract near Grassy Hill Road and a 24-acre parcel from the Oak Meadow subdivision in 1977.
The Hetzel family contributed significantly to the nature center land holdings with a 24-acre parcel in 1977-78 and approximately 30 more acres in the years that followed. Today, Flanders continues to expand its holdings through conservation easements and donations from local residents.
When Natalie founded Flanders, she envisioned a passive sanctuary. However, as the community embraced the nature center and participated in its activities, the sanctuary became alive with visitors. Although it was more lively than she anticipated, Natalie was proud of the amount of activity at Flanders and often times, took joy in watching the number of people cross the street from the parking lot to the trail house.
Following Natalie's death on December 25, 1981, the nature center continued down the road of prosperity through the efforts of the board of directors, the numerous volunteers and Pat Christgau, who was hired as the first director in 1984.
Ms. Christgau realized Flanders was growing and was in needs of a few employees. With that in mind, she opened an administrative office, hired an administrative assistant and a full-time education director.
Before retiring in June 1997, Ms. Christgau was instrumental in organizing the Natalie Van Vleck Show House, a month-long event that saw designers turn the Van Vleck farmhouse into a decorative work of art.
Arthur S. Milnor, Ms. Christgau's successor, has set his sights on expanding the educational importance of Flanders and guiding it into the next century.
Mrs. Hart said Natalie Van Vleck would be please to see Flanders has become a community treasure.
"She was an independent, no nonsense woman with a good business sense," Mrs. Hart said of her long-time friend.
"Today, Flanders goes on in Natalie's vision of preservation and providing a better understanding of plants and animals," Mrs. Hart said. "It holds a prominent place in the community".
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