It’s Conly Greer’s Birthday!

Conly Greer wider and shorter

Conly Greer (on right)


Dear Friends,

Conly Greer has a rare and unique historical legacy; his prominence in the community and contribution to our culture should be celebrated. He was born on March 30th. In honor of Conly Greer’s 138th birthday, Ivy Creek Foundation (ICF), requests your assistance in helping preserve his land and home. Please consider making a donation today. Community support fuels our continued operations, as 50% of our annual funding is dependent on your investments. These funds allow us to honor the Carr and Greer families' historic legacy by preserving and restoring the land built and maintained by the family and recounting the historical significance of River View Farm (the land that is now known as the Ivy Creek Natural Area).

Hugh Carr was the founder and owner of River View Farm and built the farm following Emancipation. Conly Greer was Hugh Carr’s son-in-law and served as the very first African American agricultural extension agent for Albemarle County in 1918 after studying agriculture at Virginia State Normal and Industrial Institute, now Virginia State University. In this role, he used his expertise to inspire best practices within the farming community and as a way to support his family. The barn he built in the 1930s is still used today by ICF. This barn and the farm were places farmers came to learn modern farming practices. Conly also traveled to farms throughout the County for his work. He served as the extension agent for 35 years, retired in 1953 and passed away in 1956.

Your support will allow us to preserve River View Farm, maintain this culturally rich and scenic natural site, and continue to share one of the rare surviving examples of the Union Ridge/Hydraulic Mills community of African American farms that flourished in the region beginning in the final quarter of the nineteenth century. In recognition of the contributions made to the local community by the Carr/Greer family, River View Farm is recognized on the National Register of Historic Places.

Please consider donating today! Your gift is not only a commemoration of Conly Greer and a preservation of his legacy, but an investment in the health and well-being of your community. Thank you so much for your support as we continue our lifelong mission of connecting people to the past and present by honoring the land, history, and community.

Warm regards,

Sue Erhardt
Executive Director