Olivia Irvine Dodge

Olivia Irvine Dodge (October 7, 1918 – January 24, 2009)[1] was a philanthropist who, along with her sister Clotilde Irvine Moles, donated the house that is now the Minnesota Governor's Residence.

Dodge was a well-known environmentalist, founding the Dodge Nature Center in West St. Paul and Mendota Heights, Minnesota in 1967 and the Irvine Nature Center in Baltimore, Maryland[2] in 1975. In the mid-1960s, Olivia could see the properties around her in West St. Paul being sold for development, and knew the natural environment could be lost. She bought up neighboring properties [3] and then formed the nonprofit Dodge Nature Center to keep it as a resource for the public.[4] The centers teach local schoolchildren about nature and the environment.[5]

Dodge also had a renowned collection of President Franklin D. Roosevelt related material (one of the largest in the country), which she donated to the University of Minnesota in 1975.[6]

In 2017 The Olivia Irvine Dodge Library and History Center was added as part of the Dodge Nature Center's 50th Anniversary celebration.[7] It honors her work as founder of the Dodge Nature Center, and also contains some of her personal mementos and local historic information.

  1. ^ "Minneapolis, Minnesota Obituaries | Legacy.com". Legacy.com. 29 September 2015.
  2. ^ "Obituary for Olivia Irvine Dodge". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2019-01-17.
  3. ^ Kern, Ben (April 5, 1981). "'Ma Nature's call brings more folks to centers'". Minneapolis Tribune. p. 13C, 14C.
  4. ^ Kimball, Joe (February 9, 1998). "'A field trip on the trail of nature'". StarTribune. p. B1, B5.
  5. ^ Kimball, Joe (May 18, 2001). "'Around St. Paul: Donor hopes Dodge preserve will inspire love of nature'". StarTribune. p. B1, B3.
  6. ^ "Woman who donated Minn. Governor's Residence dies". 26 January 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-27.
  7. ^ Ferraro, Nick (October 9, 2017). "' Dodge Nature Center captures its history, honors its founder with renovated farmhouse'". St. Paul Pioneer Press.