2023 CFAAC Annual Report - Report - Page 24
Maintaining History: Historic London Town and Garden's
Endowment Fund Ensures its Future/Preserves 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 designated a Site of Memory by the
UNESCO Slave Route Project.
“We want to honor and recognize the 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
Foundation 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.
24 | 2023 Annual Report
“The whole endowment special offer was a homerun,”
said Mickey, referring to CFAAC’s 25th anniversary
endowment program for nonprofits. “I totally applaud
the Community Foundation for offering this, particularly
for the smaller nonprofits; it’s just incredible. I am
certainly not savvy on investments, and it is so important
to have the security of knowing that your funds are wellmanaged, particularly for nonprofits who don’t have that
expertise. 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 to know about
this special place—this oasis of calm.”
Support the London Town Foundation Endowment
Fund at cfaac.org historiclondontown.
