47 Acre McKaig Tract Gift to Upper Merion

From the King of Prussia Courier – 30 March 1977

By Linda Smith

As if words could describe it, these few pay a fitting tribute to the 47 acres of undeveloped woodland on King of Prussia rd. donated to the Upper Merion Park and Historic Foundation by the late Annah French McKaig. And a recent decision by the Board of Directors of the Foundation has made the land available to the Upper Merion Area School District for use in nature study.

In addition to the school district, the Freedom Valley Council of Girl Scouts will also have access to the land for nature study, leadership training and camping. Three adjoining acres were donated to the Girl Scouts a few years ago, and are currently being used by them for these activities.

“My mother’s desire was for young people to have an opportunity to study the land,” related Marjorie French McKaig, one of two children of the late Mrs. McKaig.

The parcel of land, nearly half of the entire estate known as “French’s Hill,” is rich in vegetation, fauna and natural landmarks. Laurel growing on one hill and not on another presents an opportunity for study of the ecological differences within the acreage.

“There’s a pulpit or hanging rock here,” said Miss McKaig, “and a stream with a variety of wild flowers growing nearby.”

She explained that her mother had strong feelings about “preserving the valley” and the Valley Forge area and this was most likely her reason for donating this large tract of woodland to the Foundation.

“Giving it to the Foundation was rather a safeguard, too.” added Miss McKaig, explaining that her mother had stipulated in her will that the land was never to be sold.

The foundation decided to offer use of the land to the school district because the schools “are so close” and because “there’s so much there to share,” explained Foundation president Edwin Thomas, of King of Prussia rd.

He is also hopeful that widespread use of the property will improve the chances of obtaining a real estate tax exemption from the Montgomery County Board of Assessment Appeals.

When the Foundation receives the deed to the property within the next few weeks it will be liable for the taxes and Thomas explained that the $2,000 in the treasury will not begin to pay the levies on this property.

“The school district has agreed to support our request at the April 21 hearing,” he explained. The mechanics of sharing the property with the schools have not been worked out, according to Thomas, but the Foundation’s contact, Norris Claytor, will be working directly with J. Richard Bolton, deputy superintendent.

“We’re hoping to have the land ready for use by September, 1977,” Thomas said. Included in getting it ready is primarily the clean-up of trails throughout the tract.

Although the Girl Scouts have first call on the land, Thomas doesn’t foresee any problem with anybody being disappointed.

“There’s enough space here for everybody,” he asserted.

Annah French McKaig, who died last August at the age of 90, was a descendant of the French family who had inhabited this estate since 1709.

Annah spent every summer of her youth visiting her grandparents here on French’s Hill, and her parents maintained a home in Philadelphia for the winter. After her marriage to Edgar McKaig, they still spent a great deal of time here and consequently their two daughters, Marjorie and Annah, became well acquainted with the land, too.

Fifty yeas ago the property was willed to Mrs. McKaig, and during the last 20 years before her death she assumed primary residence in the main house on the estate.

“My mother was one of the early conservationists,” reflected Miss McKaig. “She was noted for counting geese that inhabited the pond here and became furious if she thought a hunter had killed one or two.”

“According to her daughter, Mrs. McKaig was also an early friend of the Indians, having first met them at their school near the present site of the Colonial Village Swim Club.

“She’d ride her pony cart up Radnor Street rd. and stop to talk with them and give them rides,” Later on she became involved with the San Idelfonso Pueblo Indians in New Mexico and helped them during the depression by sending food.

Marjorie has followed closely in her mother’s footsteps, being instrumental in the founding of the Upper Merion Park and Historic Foundation in 1964. She is also active in other conservation organizations, having served as vice president of the Conservation Council of Eastern Pennsylvania and as a former member of the League of Women Voters’ conservation committee.

She also supports Project Trend, organized by the Garden Club of America, which trains volunteers to introduce environmental studies in the schools.

Although the Upper Merion schools are not involved with the project, they are associated with CARE, a nation model for environmental studies that assists schools through the Intermediate Unit.

The announcement of the Foundation’s intent to share the land with the schools was made at last week’s meeting of the Upper Merion Board of School Directors. At that time, Board member H. Kent Martin remarked that the gift was “very generous,” especially in light of the fact that the land would probably have been worth close to $1 million if developed as resident property.