On Tuesday a crowd gathered at Greenwich Audubon Center for a ribbon cutting to mark the completed restoration of the Historic Zebediah Mead House.
Rochelle Thomas, Greenwich Audubon Center director, cutting the ribbon at the celebration of the completed restoration of the historic Zebediah Mead House which will be used for staff housing. August 12, 2025 Photo: Michael R. DeLuca
The restoration is part of a larger effort to restore and update many of the historical buildings located at the Greenwich Audubon Center, and at other Audubon-owned properties across the country. Thoughtful maintenance of center’s grounds allows it to provide habitat for birds and other wildlife while honoring the town of Greenwich’s long and important history.
Partnering organizations and passionate community members came together alongside Audubon to make the restoration project a reality.
On Tuesday they were joined by local officials to celebrate the success of the project with a ribbon-cutting and unveiling.
Additional staff housing provided by the newly restored Mead House will allow the Greenwich Audubon Center to continue its essential mission of protecting birds and the
places they need, including those in and around Greenwich.
At the ribbon cutting, Greenwich Audubon Center director, Rochelle Thomas, greeted the crowd and explained, “This is the first step in a larger vision for the restoration of the entire Greenwich Audubon Center campus. Up next is the historic former Center building, which holds an especially meaningful place in both Audubon’s and the Greenwich community’s history. It was the first Audubon education center in the country, and we hope to launch a fundraising campaign to restore it to its original footprint very soon. We hope you’ll continue to be part of that journey with us.”
Photo: Michael R. DeLuca
The restoration of Mead House took place between February and July 2025. Completed upgrades include new insulation, exterior improvements and interior restoration to support staff housing. Photo: Michael R. DeLuca
Mead House was built in 1746 and owned by Zebediah Mead, a member of this “founding
family” of Greenwich. It was gifted to the National Audubon Society for use in the
organization’s education and conservation work as part of a larger parcel that would, in
1943, become the Greenwich Audubon Center. Mead House was used as staff housing
until 2016.
In 2023, individuals from Historic Properties of Greenwich began volunteering with the Greenwich Audubon Center to restore this historic property. Thanks to a generous $869k bequest from Reinhold Vogel and support from the Greenwich community and Audubon, the restoration project began in 2025.
The interior of the building was gutted and renovated for staff housing while maintaining the historic exterior, which is clearly visible from John Street.
The Mead House restoration is part of a larger effort to restore and update many of the historical buildings located at the Greenwich Audubon Center, and at other Audubon-owned properties across the country.
Thoughtful maintenance of center’s grounds allows it to provide habitat for birds and other wildlife while honoring the town of Greenwich’s long and important history.
Greenwich Audubon Center is located at 613 Riversville Road in Greenwich, CT 06831
