Wednesday, July 16 2008

Mr. and Mrs. James Patton gave Gay Mont, a country estate in Caroline County, and its collection of furnishings related to the house to APVA Preservation Virginia in the late 1970s. The House was rebuilt after a tragic fire in the 1950s and the Pattons preserved the integrity of this property by putting the nearly 300 acres under easement, ultimately ensuring that no development of the land could ever take place. The Pattons retained a lifetime tenancy. Mr. Patton, the last remaining resident, passed away in November of 2007.

Upon Mr. Patton's death, the life tenancy was extinguished and APVA gained full rights and control of the property. Shortly thereafter, Mr. John E. Cay, III of Charleston, South Carolina stepped forward to purchase the property. He undertook engineering and architectural studies to determine that his needs could be accommodated and plans to re-build the music room, complete the second floor and modernize the bathrooms and kitchen consistent with the easements on the house, held by the Department of Historic Resources.

On June 12, APVA closed on the sale of Gay Mont and transferred the stewardship of this beloved home to its new owner, Mr. Cay. He shared that he "was struck by the natural beauty of the house and gardens and is looking forward to carrying on the loving care Mr. and Mrs. Patton bestowed upon the property." The house will be restored to a private and livable home and the grounds that Jim Patton so lovingly cultivated will be returned to their once grand beauty.

Elizabeth Kostelny, Executive Director of APVA Preservation Virginia notes "When the house was acquired, there might have been a brief thought that it would function as a historic house museum. That thought was fleeting, however, with the recognition that visitation could not sustain a viable financial model for the long-term preservation of the house. Mr. Patton acknowledged this fact as well. He did desire that every effort be made to keep the house and the collection so lovingly brought back to Gay Mont be kept together as much as possible.

The sale of the Gay Mont estate represents a beneficial model in historic preservation. Knowing that it is unwise to think of preservation solely within the context of historic house museums, placing Gay Mont in private hands with the resources to restore and preserve it is wise. The proceeds from the sale will be invested in APVA Preservation Virginia's future."

Under APVA's policy, the sale proceeds will be placed in APVA's long-term cash reserves to generate interest income for the on-going operations of the organization. The funds resulting from the sale of the collection will be restricted to acquire new objects for the collection or to help conserve objects already in the collection.

The Pattons gave APVA Preservation Virginia a great gift—perhaps greater then anyone realized at the time, the gift of security. Security in knowing that the funds from the sale will help APVA's mission of perpetuating and revitalizing Virginia's cultural, architectural and historic heritage.

APVA will continue to honor the memory of Mr. & Mrs. Patton by caring for the Gay Mont family cemetery where both Mr. & Mrs. Patton are buried.

ABOUT US

APVA Preservation Virginia, a private non-profit organization and statewide historic preservation leader founded in 1889, is dedicated to perpetuating and revitalizing Virginia's cultural, architectural and historic heritage thereby ensuring that historic places are integral parts of the lives of present and future generations. Our mission is directly consistent with and supportive of Article XI of the Constitution of Virginia, benefiting both the Commonwealth and the nation. APVA Preservation Virginia provides leadership, experience, influence, and services to the public and special audiences by saving, managing, and protecting historic places, and developing preservation policy, programs, and strategies with individuals, organizations, and local, state, and national partners. For additional information visit www.apva.org.

Press Contact:
Tina Calhoun
Director of Marketing and Public Relations
APVA Preservation Virginia
204 West Franklin Street
Richmond, VA 23220
804-648-1889 x. 316
tcalhoun@apva.org