4/14/2021 | This resource was created by Joanne Vogel and Kate Reilly.
April is the perfect month to revisit your favorite locations on the Duke Farms property and to discover some new special spots as well. Whether your “amble” is more of a saunter, jog, ramble, hike, or bike ride, remember to make some green memories of your own.
With 18 miles of trails, there is something for everyone at Duke Farms.
"At some point in life, the world's beauty becomes enough.
You don't need to photograph, paint, or even remember it. It is enough.” - Toni Morrison
The original intention for the Old Foundation at Duke Farms was a glamorous, 78-room French chateau with formal landscaping. The site was prepared, fountains installed, and a 14-acre terraced lawn was created at the base of the hill. A two-level basement was even constructed in 1911 - you can still see the double metal doors to the tunnel on your way to the Orchid Range. For reasons that aren't entirely clear, J.B. Duke halted abruptly halted construction on the mansion soon after the landscaping and foundation were completed. Fast forward ~100 years and what was originally intended to be a statement of opulence and status has been reimagined as a showcase of ecological restoration.