A little-known aspect of the Preservation Society is our stewardship of Rovensky Park in Newport. We have maintained this beautiful green space since 1959, when John E. Rovensky – a summer resident whose home, Clarendon Court, stands directly opposite on Bellevue Avenue – donated $175,000 to create a public park in memory of his wife, Mae Caldwell Rovensky, who had died in 1955. Mr. Rovensky wanted it to be a peaceful place “for the quiet enjoyment of the people of the City of Newport,” as the welcome sign at the park says. And so it is: no playground, just a few benches, plenty of grass and trees. At the southeast corner of the park stands a small memorial to our founder and longtime president, Katherine Warren. This section of Bellevue Avenue reflects the rich horticultural heritage of the city and centuries of garden design, estate development, and land conservation. In 2011 the Preservation Society granted a conservation easement on Rovensky Park to the Aquidneck Land Trust, whic...