In 1962, the Smithsonian received an unexpected bequest: $2.0 million in cash and realty, including 368 acres on Maryland’s Rhode River. It came from a colorful but enigmatic dairy farmer named Robert Lee Forrest. Like the Smithsonian’s first patron, James Smithson, Forrest was a life-long bachelor with no children. His gift of virtually his entire estate led to the creation of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) in 1965—then called the "Chesapeake Bay Center for Field Biology." In a special talk honoring SERC’s 60th anniversary, discover how this eccentric farmer and scientist blazed new territory long before his gift to the Smithsonian, with SERC archaeologist Dr. Jim Gibb. Part of SERC’s 60th anniversary webinar series.

This event will be hosted entirely online, and it will be recorded. Closed captions will be available at the live event and on the recording. By signing up on Zoom, you will also receive a link to the recording a few days after the live event.

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