Carriage Barn Visitor Center at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park

GENERAL INFORMATION

The Carriage Barn Visitor Center building at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park was constructed in 1895 as a replacement of the original stable built by Frederick Billings. The new stable was commissioned by Laura Billings Lee, the daughter put in charge of the property after her father’s death in 1890.

Park across the street at the Billings Farm and Museum overflow parking lot. The walk to the Visitor Center does require tackling a steep hill. There are a few parking spaces directly at the nearby Billings Mansion. No handicap parking permit is required, but please use the spaces only if you have trouble walking.

OPERATING HOURS

The Carriage Barn Visitor Center is typically open Thursdays through Mondays (closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays) from Memorial Day weekend through October 31^st between the hours of 10 AM and 5 PM. Keep in mind that times can always change, so be sure to get the current schedule on the National Park Service’s official Operating Hours and Seasons web page for Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park.

Interior of the Carriage Barn Visitor Center at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park

AMENITIES

• Ranger-staffed information desk where you can pick up a park brochure and detailed trail map
• Sign up for Ranger-guided tours
• Park film
• Exhibit area
• Souvenir and bookstore
• Restrooms

Souvenir and book store in the Carriage Barn Visitor Center at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park

PARK FILM

A Place in the Land, a 32-minute biographical film about George Perkins Marsh, Frederick Billings, and Lawrence Rockefeller, the three men who once lived at what is now Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park, is shown on demand. The film was nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Documentary, Short Subject category in 1998. There is no objectionable material, so the film is suitable for all ages. However, it is a slow moving film and most likely will not appeal to children, or even teenagers who have no interest in history.

The film is also shown at the Billings Farm and Museum.

EXHIBIT AREA

A small exhibit area inside the Carriage Barn Visitor Center focuses on Marsh, Billings, and Rockefeller. Each has his own section with information panels that include historical photographs, quotes, and a list of accomplishments. At the bottom of the panels is a timeline of important events in the history of conservation that happened during each man’s life. The exhibit involves a lot of reading, and in truth, biographical information is not all that exciting. The film A Place in the Land is a far better way to learn about the men.

Conservation Stewardship exhibit at the Carriage Barn Visitor Center, Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park

SCHEDULING YOUR TIME

The bulk of time spent at the Carriage Barn Visitor Center will be watching A Place in the Land. If you want to read through all of the exhibits, allow another half hour. Thus, you can spend anywhere from just a few minutes to ask questions, pick up a park brochure, or sign up for a guided tour, up to an hour if you watch the film and give the exhibits a thorough examination.

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