The Stone Nature Center - History

The philosophy of The Villages and our founder, Dr. Karl Menninger has been that protection and conservation of children and the environment are interconnected and central to the future health of the community. In 1969, The Villages set aside a 372- acre nature preserve located along the Kansas River, which became the W. Clement Stone Nature Center in 1989.

W. Clement Stone was a long time friend of Dr. Karl's, a self-made businessman, writer of self-help books and philanthropist from Chicago. He is shown at right above with Dr. Karl outside the Robert Brock cottage at The Villages. (The Robert Brock cottage garage was the first site of the nature programs and the house parents there also began the construction of the ropes course.) The Stone Nature Center was established on an adjoining property that had previously been a family dairy farm with the house becoming the education building. This property was acquired and start-up funding provided through a donation from W. Clement Stone and in 1989 the W. Clement Stone Nature Center became a reality.

The Stone Nature Center is an asset to the community and also plays a vital role in healing the deep wounds of the youth at The Villages. The Center features a 200-acre piece of tallgrass prairie, an adventure challenge course and a 3,500 year-old Indian burial mound. The Center's environmental education programs are used by area schools, scout troops, churches and other community groups, in addition to children at The Villages. The programs focus on nature study, wildlife study, ecology and conservation. As many as 14,000 youth from Northeast Kansas communities and schools are exposed to one of the Stone Nature Center's field trips or outreach education programs each year. The center is home to several species of birds of prey and other wildlife.