Curatorship of the Grove Farm
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Resident-
Curatorship Program secures private funding and labor for the
restoration and maintenance of historic properties owned by DNR.
Curators, who can be individuals or organizations, pledge to restore
the historic property according to historic preservation standards
and at no cost to the state, and agree to maintain it in good
condition in exchange for a lifetime lease for $1 per year. The program
requires curatorship proposals to represent at least
$175,000 worth of improvements to the property, which must be
completed within seven years.. Certain properties, like Grove
Farm, may require a significantly greater investment. In addition,
the curatorship is subject to regular inspection by state officials,
and resident-curators must open the property to the public three
to five times each year.
Resident curatorships provide a method for ensuring the longterm
preservation of historic buildings at no cost to the State of
Maryland. The Department of Natural Resources pioneered this
program in 1982, and currently has about 43 curatorships in operation.
Our well-developed procedures provide a model for initiating
similar programs in other states. To date, curators have contributed
over $8 million worth of improvements to these publiclyowned
historic structures.
Quarry Masters
