Nature Forward

  Woodend Sanctuary is one of the few remaining grand old estates in Chevy Chase, Montgomery County, Maryland. The 40-acre property dates back to a 1699 colonial land grant. John Russell Pope, architect of the Jefferson Memorial and National Gallery of Art, designed the house in the late 1920's for Captain and Mrs. Chester Wells. With its architecture symmetry and geometric proportions, Woodend Mansion is an admired example of Georgian Revival. The Greek-style portico and entrances illustrate Pope's eclectic approach to the revival of classical forms. Inside, the large Palladian window over the first floor staircase, the French doors to the terrace, and the Georgian moldings enliven the Great Hall. The Wells Family bequeathed the Woodend Mansion and property to the Audubon Naturalist Society in 1968. The Mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Montgomery County Master Plan for Historic Preservation.