Quarry Farm Foundation

Quarry Farm Foundation
Mark Twain on the Quarry Farm Porch (1903)

In 2022 a collection of individuals saw the need to organize and institute a major fundraising campaign for Quarry Farm and CMTS.  As a result, last year witnessed the formation of The Quarry Farm Foundation, Inc., a duly registered and approved 501(c)(3) charitable organization recognized by the Internal Revenue Service and the New York State Charities Bureau.  Board members include representatives of the Langdon family, prominent Elmira businesspeople, delegates from the Chemung County Historical Society, and senior administrators of Elmira College.  CMTS has been designated the operating arm of the Quarry Farm Foundation. The stated purpose of the Quarry Farm Foundation is to restore and renew all the operating systems at Quarry Farm and to create an endowment that will make Quarry Farm self-sufficient and provide a significant additional funding source for CMTS.

The first action of the Quarry Farm Foundation was to launch a comprehensive and ambitious fund-raising drive.  The campaign currently has a $6,000,000 goal, $2,000,000 of which will be dedicated to the complete overhaul of every operating system at Quarry Farm.  $500,000 of the $2,000,000 will be raised locally and will focus on the most urgent priorities, fire suppression and drainage.  The balance, $4,000,000, will fund an endowment to ensure the long-term self-sufficiency of Quarry Farm and the Center for Mark Twain Studies.  If successful, the Quarry Farm Foundation has the potential to revolutionize the preservation efforts of Quarry Farm and the services provided by CMTS.

By the end of 2022, in its silent phase, the Quarry Farm Foundation has raised over $300,000 in actual and pledged donations from the local Elmira community.  A successful local campaign will surely prove valuable as demonstration of the “local share” in approaches to national foundations.

Gifts made payable to the Quarry Farm Foundation may be mailed to Quarry Farm Foundation, One Park Place, Elmira, New York, 14901.


For more information on historic Quarry Farm, please see the following:

A Brief History of Quarry Farm

A concise history of one of the most important literary landmarks.

A Virtual Tour of Quarry Farm

While Quarry Farm remains an active residence, reserved for the production of Twain scholarship, with the help of SmallTown360 we have created a virtual tour of the entire house, as well as the grounds and the Langdon-Clemens gravesite.

Architectural History of Quarry Farm

The most extensive document focusing on the architectural history of Quarry Farm. Written by Johnson-Schmidt & Associates, Architects, this report examines the developmental history of Quarry Farm, including historical background and context, chronology of development and use, physical description, character defining features, and an evaluation of its significance.

Landscape History of Quarry Farm

The most extensive document focusing on the landscape history of Quarry Farm. Written by Martha Lyon Landscape Architects, LLC, this report includes a report on the Quarry Farm landscape in history, a historical chronology, photographs of existing conditions, and a bibliography for further reading and research.

Quarry Farm Historic Interiors and Furnishings

Walter Ritchie, Jr., decorative arts scholar and architectural historian specializing in nineteenth-century American domestic architecture, interiors, and furniture, discusses the interiors and furnishings in the main house at Quarry Farm. Scholars from all corners of the United States and the globe have the opportunity to spend their time amongst this important collection.

Mark Twain in Elmira

A collection of resources dedicated to promoting the legacy of Mark Twain in Elmira. All of these resources have been created by the Center for Mark Twain Studies.

Center for Mark Twain Studies Strategic Plan 2023-2025

The strategic plan includes CMTS’ organizational history, mission statement, CMTS staff biographies, 2022 accomplishments, future goals, and much more.


Board Members of the Quarry Farm Foundation

  • Carl T. Hayden – former Chancellor, NYS Board of Regents, former Chair of SUNY (President)
  • Patricia Ireland – Provost, Elmira College
  • Robert Kermes – grand-nephew of Jervis Langdon, Jr.; President, Hannibal Development Corporation
  • Joseph Lemak – Director, Center for Mark Twain Studies, Elmira College (Secretary)
  • Charles Lindsay – President, Elmira College
  • David Pennock – nephew of Jervis Langdon, Jr.; retired attorney
  • Olivia Pennock – grand-niece of Jervis Langdon, Jr.; Director, Foundations Relations, Boston’s Children’s Hospital
  • Katherine Roehlke – President, F.M. Howell & Co. (Vice-President/Treasurer)
  • Tom Wallace – Chair, Chemung County Historical Society