Upperville in Fauquier County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Paul Mellon
(1907-1999)
Photographed By Patricia Strat, August 11, 2019
1. Paul Mellon Marker
Inscription.
Paul Mellon, one of the foremost American philanthropists of the 20th century, lived nearby. An heir to the vast banking and industrial fortune left by his father, Andrew W. Mellon, he supported universities, civic improvement projects, conservation efforts, and fine-arts institutions. With his second wife, Rachel “Bunny” Lambert Mellon, he amassed a world-renowned art collection, donated more than 1,000 objects to the National Gallery of Art, and made substantial contributions to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Mellon achieved international success as a breeder of racehorses. In 1975, he donated land to Virginia for the creation of Sky Meadows State Park, about five miles west of here.
Paul Mellon, one of the foremost American philanthropists of the 20th century, lived nearby. An heir to the vast banking and industrial fortune left by his father, Andrew W. Mellon, he supported universities, civic improvement projects, conservation efforts, and fine-arts institutions. With his second wife, Rachel “Bunny” Lambert Mellon, he amassed a world-renowned art collection, donated more than 1,000 objects to the National Gallery of Art, and made substantial contributions to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Mellon achieved international success as a breeder of racehorses. In 1975, he donated land to Virginia for the creation of Sky Meadows State Park, about five miles west of here.
Erected 2019 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number B 41.)
Location. 38° 59.238′ N, 77° 50.579′ W. Marker is in Upperville, Virginia, in Fauquier County. Marker is at the intersection of Rokeby Road (Virginia Route 623) and
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John Mosby Highway (U.S. 50), on the right when traveling south on Rokeby Road. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Upperville VA 20184, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Also see . . . 1. Upperville historic markers honor the Mellon legacy. Photo of the marker unveiling ceremony and comments from the speakers. (Submitted on August 12, 2019, by Patricia Strat of Oakton, Virginia.)
2. Creation of Sky Meadows State Park. In 1966, a housing development was planned for land near Upperville, but this scenic area was saved through the actions of Paul Mellon. Virginia State Parks received the 1,132 acre farm as a gift from Mr. Mellon in 1975.
In 1991, Paul Mellon presented an additional 462 acres on the east side of Route 17 as a gift to the park. (Submitted on August 12, 2019, by Patricia Strat of Oakton, Virginia.)
Additional keywords.
Photographed By Patricia Strat, August 11, 2019
2. Paul Mellon Marker
"Carnegie Mellon University"
Photographed By Patricia Strat, August 11, 2019
3. Paul Mellon and Rokeby Stables Markers
Photographed By Patricia Strat, February 11, 2017
4. Plaque honoring Paul Mellon at Sky Meadows State Park
Photographed By Patricia Strat, May 21, 2018
5. Paul Mellon Gravesite
Trinity Episcopal Church Cemetery, Upperville, Virginia.
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, December 31, 2014
6. Paul Mellon
This portrait of Paul Mellon by William Franklin Draper hangs in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.
"Son of the National Gallery's founder and the brother of Ailsa Mellon Bruce, Paul Mellon (1907-1999) became the first president of the Gallery's Board of Trustees in 1938-1939 following Andrew Mellon's death. Paul Mellon served again in this position from 1963 to 1978, and it was during this time that he oversaw the conception and construction of the East Building, for which he provided a major part of the funding. An avid horseman, Mellon developed an interest in English sporting pictures, which led him to build an extensive collection of British art in addition to American and French art. Donations to the Gallery from Mellon and his wife account more than 900 works of art ranging from masterpieces of European painting, a group of 357 scenes of American Indian life by George Catlin, and forty-eight wax statuettes of dancers and bathers by Edgar Degas -- the world's largest holding of such works.
William Franklin Draper, navy combat artist during World War II and later a successful portrait painter, animated his portrayal of Paul Mellon with rapid, slashing strokes of the brush." -- National Gallery of Art
Credits. This page was last revised on November 26, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 11, 2019, by Patricia Strat of Oakton, Virginia. This page has been viewed 614 times since then and 55 times this year. Last updated on October 25, 2022, by Patricia Strat of Oakton, Virginia. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on August 12, 2019, by Patricia Strat of Oakton, Virginia. 6. submitted on December 20, 2019, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.