The grounds of the Oakwell estate were designed over a 50-year period by landscape architects the Olmsted Brothers The legendary firm designed New York City’s Central Park, the grounds of Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, the U.S. Capitol grounds in Washington, D.C, and F.D.R. Park in Philadelphia. | Photo: Michael Bixler

Philadelphia’s Main Line gave a communal sigh of relief this week. The six-year debacle between the Lower Merion School District (LMSD) and preservationists over the fate of Oakwell, an historic estate, was finally resolved. Seemingly, everyone involved won.

LMSD made the decision to not turn Oakwell’s heirloom forest into a middle school playing field. Instead, it has agreed to sell Oakwell to Natural Lands, a non-profit that connects people with the environment. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to expand Stoneleigh and are immensely grateful to the leadership of the Lower Merion School District,” said Natural Lands president Oliver Bass.

This historic reunification refers back to 1877 when a Pennsylvania Railroad executive purchased 65 acres in Lower Merion, named it Stoneleigh, and hired the most famous landscape architects of the day, the Olmstead Brothers. In 1919, when the owner gifted a portion of the estate to his son, it became known as Oakwell. Now, both Oakwell and Stoneleigh will be reunited and protected by Natural Lands.

The Oakwell estate’s mansion was built was built in 1922. It was designed by architect William Wayne, Jr. | Photo: Michael Bixler

Samantha Chapman can see the trees of the Oakwell estate from her office window at Villanova University. “I’m just ecstatic. You can’t estimate the biodiversity benefit to our community,” she said. As a biology professor and co-director of Villanova’s Center for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Stewardship (CBEST), Chapman and her students have been deeply invested in the preservation of Oakwell since LMSD first seized the historic 13.4 acre estate by eminent domain in 2018. When you are the wealthiest school district in the state and one of the richest in the nation, you can do things like that with impunity. However, LMSD did not count on the push back from the community–not just from the faculty and students of Villanova, but from area residents, parents, teachers, students, lawyers, conservationists, preservationists, ornithologists, architects, and, yes, journalists.

For years, Deb Robbins stood in front of LMSD’s administration building for “Fire Drill Friday Protests” with a group of concerned neighbors holding signs that read, “Honk if you want to save trees!” A founding member of Save Oakwell, Robbins can finally put down her sign. “It has been terrific to see the most recent school board and superintendent respond thoughtfully to the concerns of the students and community. Decisions made a few climates ago, as it were, may no longer be in the best interests of the kids or their planet,” said Robbins. She was referring to the leadership of Dr. Steven Yanni, who became superintendent of LMSD in August 2023. After listening to both sides, he steered the Oakwell dispute to an environmental victory.

From November 2022 until LMSD fenced off Oakwell at the end of May 2023, Jamie Singer, a communications consultant and board member of the Ardmore Historic Society, led free Sunday tours of Oakwell. “I am thankful that Oakwell will not only be saved, but will thrive under Natural Lands’ guidance. This is the resolution we’d hoped for—that Stoneleigh and Oakwell are reunited and will provide the history, environment, and biodiversity that will benefit generations to come,” said Singer.

Oakwell’s historic greenhouse complex was once used as an educational site for a horticultural training program for women. During WWII it was used to cultivate victory gardens. | Photo: Michael Bixler

Erin Betley, a conservation biologist, Lower Merion resident, and mother of LMSD students, views the outcome through a historic lens. “Before it was subdivided from the Stoneleigh estate, Oakwell was the home of an early horticultural school for young women. How fitting that over a century later, this biodiverse landscape will once again be a place of learning about sustainability and resilience for our community and in the capable hands of Natural Lands.”

Kathleen M. Abplanalp, director of historic preservation at Lower Merion Conservancy, is enthusiastic about her organization’s collaboration with Natural Lands to establish a conservation easement on the Oakwell property. “This effort will help preserve a significant historic landscape and reconnect it with Stoneleigh. The partnership reflects a shared commitment to protecting and enhancing local natural and historic resources for future generations.”

James D. McLaughlin, an international corporate attorney and Lower Merion resident, laid the blame with LMSD’s Board of Directors. “The upcoming sale by LMSD to Natural Lands represents a victory for community action against an entrenched Board that had refused to listen to its taxpayers opposed to the Board’s ridiculous desire to misappropriate taxpayer funds by wasting them on needless sports facilities and environmental destruction. The Board has a long way to go in terms of its own re-education.

The Stoneleigh mansion and grounds were gifted to Natural Lands by former owner Otto Haas’ family in 2016. The public garden is open and free to visitors. The sale of Oakwell to Natural Lands will reunify the two estates. | Photo: Michael Bixler

Another attorney, Philip Rosenzweig of Silverang, Rosenzweig & Haltzman, LLC, believes the outcome was due not so much to the school board or the honking of horns on Montgomery Avenue, but to one woman. “I want to express gratitude that LMSD did the right thing and everyone wins,” said Rosenzweig. “However, I believe that everyone in Lower Merion owes a debt of gratitude to Kelly Biesecker. Her property is adjacent to Oakwell, and she single-handedly funded the legal the fight against the school district for three years. She was passionate about preserving the ecology of Oakwell and was willing to spend thousands to do so. Had she not created the zoning appeal there is no way LMSD would’ve been willing to sell. I am in awe of her!” he said.

If you are planning to visit Oakwell, be patient. It is not open to the public yet. “Oakwell is currently still owned by LMSD,” said Kit Werner, senior director of communications of Natural Lands. “We have several hurdles to clear before Natural Lands takes ownership, which would likely be at the end of 2025.” In the meantime, visit Stoneleigh, a Natural Garden next door at 828 County Line Road in Villanova. Admission is free and it is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.