Mission & History
Our Mission
The Southlands Foundation connects people, animals and nature. Established by Deborah Dows in 1983, our mission is to preserve our extraordinary natural habitats while cultivating a respect and appreciation for the environment through education, conservation and outdoor recreation. Nestled on nearly 200 acres near the Hudson River in Rhinebeck, NY, Southlands fosters community through its equestrian programs, conservation efforts and commitment to history.
The beginning - 1600s
The Southlands Foundation would like to acknowledge that we gather on the traditional land of the Mohican, Munsee Lenape and Schaghticoke Peoples past & present.
We honor with gratitude the land itself and the people who have stewarded it throughout the generations. We commit ourselves to becoming better stewards of the land we inhabit.
The history of the land now called ‘Southlands’ dates back over 300 years to an original land grant from King James II awarded to the Livingston and Beekman families.
1700s - 1800s
The Glenburn Estate. Though its original construction date is unknown, it is believed to be from the mid-1700s and on land owned by Col. Henry Beekman since the late 1600s. Towards the end of the 1800s, it passed to Alice Olin Townsend & her husband, Tracy ‘Pups’ Dows. Although it is no longer part of Southlands, Glenburn still stands today.
Late 1800s - Early 1900s
Along with Glenburn, the Dows inherited several other houses on the nearly 700 acre estate, including the ivy covered Stone Cottage, shown above in a color-tinted photograph and Gate House Cottage shown in an early black & white image and also a turn-of-the-century, hand-tinted postcard.
1910
After many years of construction, the Dows family moves into their new home, Foxhollow Farm. The Dows/Olin estate consisted of three farms and the couple began shaping it into a space where the love of animals, the land and equestrianism could thrive.
Oct 17, 1914
Deborah Dows born to Tracy & Alice Dows.
1922
The Dows were a close-knit family who frequently traveled abroad and entertained a cast of family friends at Foxhollow, ranging from architects and politicians to financiers, activists and artists. In the image above an 8-year-old Deborah strolls the Promenade du Soleil in Menton, France in 1922 with her brother, noted painter Olin Dows, sister Margaret Dows and her parents.
A Lifelong Passion for Photography
Deborah’s father Tracy Dows was an avid photographer at a time when the medium was still many decades away from being recognized as an art form. Many of the historic images on our site were made by Mr. Dows. At left, Alice Dows strikes a comedic pose, horses in a Foxhollow pasture, a peaceful moment for what is believed to be a young F.D.R. and the architect Harrie Lindeberg standing in the main fireplace with Deborah’s brother Olin. Tracy Dows filled over 48 large format photo albums with his work, each containing hundreds of his prints. A donation from The Southlands Foundation in the 1980s, The Tracy Dows Archives are now part of the permanent collection of the Dutchess County Historic Society.
1930
With ‘Black Tuesday’, the Great Stock Market crash of 1929 and the onset of the Great Depression, the family fortune was irrevocably imperiled. Eight generations of Deborah Dows’ family had lived on the land. She used almost the entirety of her personal trust (thankfully protected from her family’s bankruptcy proceedings) to purchase 200 acres of what the original estate had always referred to as ‘the south lands’.
1938 The Southlands Riding School is Established
In 1938, Deborah founded The Southlands Riding School. This innovative program focused on teaching the art of riding and the values of horsemanship, responsibility and respect for all of nature's creatures. The school became the cornerstone of Southlands’ equestrian operations. Her on-grounds residence was constructed just a few years before the riding school and contained 6 stables. In 2013, the then unoccupied house was lost in an accidental fire and burned to the ground.
1945
On a warm night in 1945, Deborah rode her horse along trails that ran from Southlands to the Roosevelt Mansion to see if she could catch her cousin F.D.R. for a nightcap. She arrived at the house by dark and assumed the figure on the terrace was her cousin - but it was the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill. They invited Deborah to join them in conversation - and discussions lasted well into the wee hours of the morning.
February 1, 1952
Deborah Dows becomes one of the first women to study at the prestigious Spanish Riding School in Vienna, Austria.
1968
The Landsman Kill Trail Association is established. Deborah Dows is a founding member.
1979
In the late 1970s, the State of New York attempted to take Southlands’ land via eminent domain with the intention of turning the property into a landfill. With the help of many members of the Rhinebeck community (and most notably, Sally Mazzarella), Deborah Dows emerged victorious - thus paving the way for the creation of the Foundation, effectively protecting Southlands for future generations.
1983 The Southlands Foundation Established
Deborah Dows officially establishes The Southlands Foundation to preserve the land and create opportunities for people of all ages to engage with nature, animals and horsemanship.
1987
Conservation Easement Secured - Southlands became forever green with the donation of a conservation easement to Scenic Hudson, ensuring the land’s beauty and purpose would be protected for generations to come.
1988
The Samaritan Daytop Village adult rehabilitation center is established at FoxHollow Farm. Deborah recognized the need for this service and successfully fought significant opposition to having the center established on her family’s former estate.
June 29, 1994
Deborah Dows passes in Rhinebeck, NY.
1996
Construction of Main Barn commences.
2009
For the first time, Southlands is used as a location for content creation. At right is an image by Nathaniel Goldberg featuring our beloved school horse Hero for the US edition of Harper’s Bazaar. Since 2009, Southlands extraordinary landscape has been used as a location for various TV, film and photography productions.
Present Day
Honoring the Past, Building the Future. The Southlands Foundation remains a vibrant space where equestrians, conservationists and nature lovers come together. With exciting plans like expanded trails and enriched equine programs, Southlands continues to thrive as a cornerstone of the Hudson Valley community.
Deborah Dows: Visionary, Advocate and Steward of the Land
Deborah Dows was more than a passionate equestrian. She was a visionary who saw Southlands as a space to connect people with the land and its animals.
Her lifelong dedication to education, conservation and horsemanship led her to establish Southlands Foundation, ensuring her beloved property would inspire and benefit the community for generations to come.
“Some tell of their riding, but more tell about learning to love the land and the creatures on it – to understand growing things – to learn to live and let live – and how their time spent on Southlands helped them cope better with the problems in their individual lives.”