The Marie Aull Tribute Sculpture & Garden
Her Life | Marie Sturwold Aull | 1897-2002
Marie Aull played a major role in the creation of the Dayton-Montgomery County Park District, now called Five River MetroParks. In 1977, Marie donated her home, her thirty-acre garden and the maintenance endowment to the park district, thus creating Aullwood Audubon Center.
A noted conservationist, Marie lobbied successfully for the designation of the Stillwater River as a state scenic river. She was a founding trustee for the Cox Arboretum and helped establish and fund acquisition for the Beaver Creek wetlands.
In addition, Marie was a celebrated member of the Garden Club of Dayton. Her 75 year membership in the club provided inspiration, wisdom and energy to all its members. She guided the club in embracing its mission of promoting conservation, sound horticultural practice and historic preservation.
Marie Sturwold was born in Cincinnati in 1897. Her family loved to garden which surely inspired her later studies in botany, geology and birds at the Üniversity of Cincinnati. She met her future husband, John Aull, on a month-long trip to Alaska in 1922. After their marriage in 1923, she moved to John's-farm in the country north of Dayton. "Aullwood" as it came to be known, overlooked the Stillwater River. John and Marie spent several decades carefully building
this page online
After John Aull died in 1955, Marie realized that she needed to take the next step toward preserving Aullwood. She contacted the National Audubon Society and their collaboration resulted in the building of the Aullwood Audubon Center, the first of its kind in the Midwest, which was dedicated on November 2, 1957. The Center was so successful that it became a model for other nature centers both regionally and nationally.
In 1962, Marie purchased an adjacent farm and created the Aullwood Children's Farm. This too became a model for farm education, where urban children could milk a goat, feel a warm egg, pet a lamb.or watch sap drip from a maple tree. In 1978 the Center and the Farm were merged into the Aullwood Center and Farm. Today, Aullwood Audubon Center and Farm includes a 10 acre tall grass Prairie, a 120-acre organic farm, wooded nature trails and a state-of-the-art education center. Each-year 20,000 students visit Aullwood and hundreds of teachers take part in workshops about nature and farming. Aullwood also serves higher education through internship programs. Today, children and adults explore Aullwood's 350-acre sanctuary; hiking
under 300-year-old oak trees, wading marshes, wandering in farm pastures and exploring tall grass prairies…habitats that once covered much of the region.
Why Carillon Park?
The great majority of buildings and exhibits at Carillon Historical Park reflect
what we have come to call the "hard” (technological) side of invention.
The Wright Flyer, trains, street.cars, the turbine used to produce power
during the 1913 flood, the print shop and Deeds Barn where the self-starter was invented all testify to an era dominated by male genius
and exuberance. Marie Aull, on the other hand, represents
a distinctly "softer” but equally impassioned side of the
inventive spirit.
Carillon Historical Park was chosen as the site for the
tribute to Marie Aull because it pays homage to many
Miami Valley leaders and inventors, and focuses on the
region's significant social, technological and cultural
contributions. Standing life-size in her garden
surrounded by many of her favorite native Ohio
plants…she had earned her place among the
likes of the Wright Brothers and "Boss” Kettering.
As we honor the inventors who have shaped
Dayton's history we must also recognize the
woman who was and will continue to be
responsible for teaching generations to love
and preserve the land of the Miami Valley.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Horticulture & Forestry • Parks & Recreational Areas • Women. A significant historical date for this entry is November 2, 1957.
Location. 39° 43.664′ N, 84° 12.013′ W. Marker is in Dayton, Ohio, in Montgomery County. It is in University Park. Marker is on Carillon Boulevard, 0.3 miles west of South Patterson Boulevard, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: Carillon Boulevard, Dayton OH 45439, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Marie Sturwold Aull (here, next to this marker); What Did You Find? (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named What Did You Find? (a few steps from this marker); History on the Hills Interpretive Center (a few steps from this marker); The Old River Park Swimming Pool Light Tower (within shouting distance of this marker); Gristmill (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Gristmill (within shouting distance of this marker); Dayton Triangles Locker Room (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Dayton.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 4, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 23, 2021, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 209 times since then and 10 times this year. Photo 1. submitted on May 23, 2021, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
Editor’s want-list for this marker. A wide shot of the marker in context • Can you help?
