Maintaining History: London Town and Garden’s Endowment Fund Helps Ensure its Future While Preserving its Past 

Mickey Love wants to share a secret. As Historic London Town and Gardens Executive Director, she believes that more local people should discover this “lost” colonial town and garden sanctuary on the South River. Mickey describes Historic London Town and Gardens as not only a place of history but also a place of refuge and “a place to take a breath.”

Spread across 23 acres, London Town offers a blend of meticulously tended gardens; a rich, historical narrative dating back to its establishment in 1683; and a venue for weddings, even welcoming four-legged companions.

Initially the county seat of Anne Arundel County, London Town thrived for a century, until changes in trade routes led to its decline. The sole surviving historical building, the William Brown House, once served as the county Almshouse until 1965. Recently, London Town was recently designated a Site of Memory by the UNESCO Slave Route Project. 

“We want to honor and recognize those lives of those slaves. We also want to tell the story of the ordinary, everyday people who lived here when it was a thriving port” said Mickey.

Recognizing the obligation of caring for such a historic property, Mickey and the board understood the need for financial stability amid economic instability and varying grant availability so they established the London Town and Gardens Endowment Fund at CFAAC. The endowment serves as a commitment to preserving the stories of those who lived and worked here, ensuring a continuous income stream for the organization.

“There’s a tremendous responsibility when you’re taking care of historic property; we are maintaining history,” explained Mickey. “We want to be good stewards of this property. For us, an endowment says to others, ‘we are going to be here; we’re not going away. We take our commitment seriously.’

Mickey said there were very lean periods at London Town and the board was looking for ways to make sure that they were here for future generations. When she found out about CFAAC’s Special Endowment Offer, it was an easy decision.  

“The whole endowment special offer was a homerun,” said Mickey, referring to CFAAC’s 25^th anniversary endowment program for nonprofits. “I totally applaud the Community Foundation for offering this, particularly for the smaller nonprofits; it’s just incredible. I certainly don’t have savvy on investments and to have the security of knowing that your funds are well-managed particularly for nonprofits who don’t have that expertise is so important. You don’t have to worry about it. We now have people with the knowledge and experience.

“I’ve been with nonprofits for years and you’re always pressured to have an endowment,” she added. “But for small nonprofits, you don’t always know what’s involved with an endowment, and what you do with it. So, partnering with the Community Foundation checks the box; it’s one thing you can take off your plate. The beauty of this offer is that you can even start small.”

Mickey also touts the benefits of generating awareness for London Town through CFAAC. “We want people to know about London Town beyond the 25 mile radius. We don’t have a huge staff or advertising budget so by partnering with such a reputable organization as the Community Foundation, more people will know about us.”

More than anything, though, Mickey wants this hidden gem to be treasured for a long, long time: “The endowment is really about maintaining this history; it’s about believing in the value of our programs and continuing the legacy. I just want people know about this special place—this oasis of calm.”