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The Leslie Legacy
From 1923 through 1976, Dr. Eugene and Emily Leslie lived in their home surrounded by fields, prairie, and woods with views of the city of Ann Arbor. Dr. Leslie was active in the field of chemical engineering and was a professor at the University of Michigan. The Leslie property was the headquarters for much of his pioneering work in the development of new technologies, such as no-knock gasoline. Additionally, he and his wife Emily planted and sold apples, peaches, cherries and raspberries. They raised Hereford cattle, hogs, and the feed to supply the animals. They built additional buildings on the site - the honey house (now the Critter House), the spray house, and the farm cottage (now the caretaker's cottage).
Emily Leslie was enthusiastically involved in community projects. She was active in the Ann Arbor Garden Club and the National Farm and Garden Association.
The
Leslies enjoyed having neighborhood children play on their
land. The Leslies wanted the land to be preserved and decided
to deed their land to the City of Ann Arbor for the use of
children. Emily and Eugene Leslie died within a few months
of each other in 1976. With their death, the land and buildings
were passed on to all of the citizens of Ann Arbor.
With this gift, the Leslie Science Center has been established to provide children with an opportunity to explore the rich natural resources around them.
In 1986, a Master Plan was developed that reinforced the educational value of the property and honored the legacy of Dr. and Mrs. Leslie. Slowly, educational programs were developed and soon grew to be very popular. Programs were run in Dr., and Mrs. Leslie's house (the Leslie House) and their garage, but the space was insufficient. A new building was needed. A team of visionary architects, dedicated City staff, and committed citizens worked together to design a building that would meet the needs of children and educators in times of inclement weather. They worked to create a building that honors the past, present, and future of this treasured gift to the City. The Nature House was built in 2000 and serves as a reminder of the original laboratory building of Dr. Leslie (same footprint) as well as a guide for all of us on how we can live lightly on the land. The Nature House features photovoltaic arrays, composting toilets, a grey water planting bed, and recycled content.
Beginning July 1, 2007, the Leslie Science & Nature Center is in the process of evolving from a City run entity to a non-profit organization. This transition provides the Center with the best governance structure for a sustainable future. The City will continue to own and maintain the buildings and grounds. At the same time, the Center has changed its names slightly, adding "Nature" to become "Leslie Science and Nature Center" so as to more fully reflect the scope and mission of our programs. A third change is our new partnership with the local office of the NWF, National Wildlife Federation. NWF will be helping us as a fledgling non-profit in the areas of fundraising and other systems of operation. It's an exciting time at Leslie Science & Nature Center!
