In 1983, Mary Tyler Cheek McClenahan, with co-chair Frances Valentine, created the Maymont House Benevolent Society, an annual campaign to generate funds for conservation, restoration and acquisitions at the mansion. The Society adopted a new name, the Maymont Council, in 2000, and expanded its mission to support the preservation of the historic Maymont estate in its entirety—decorative arts, carriages, original landscape features, and architecture.

In its decades of support, the group has helped to conserve hundreds of original objects, make critical structural needs, restore decorative interior elements, acquire important Dooley-owned pieces, analyze original paint colors, restore decorative wall and ceiling finishes, conduct architectural investigation of the belowstairs area, research personal histories of the individuals employed by the Dooleys to create the groundbreaking Belowstairs Exhibit, and enhance the overall authenticity, care, and presentation of the mansion. In 2011, the American Institute for Conservation and Heritage Preservation recognized its long-term impact, selecting Maymont Mansion as recipient of the Ross Merrill Award for Outstanding Commitment to Preservation and Care of Collections.

Today, there are still many original features and details of Maymont that await restoration, and the work of conservators, specialists and skilled artisans is costly. A gift to the Council will help preserve Maymont’s treasures for generations to come. Levels of giving over $100 include full Maymont member benefits. Questions? Email our membership department or call 804-358-7166, ext. 313.