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ecological studies), and the various buildings of the Museum of African Art (which, except for the Frederick Douglass House, will likely be sold to help finance the next home for the Museum--see pp. 53).

It was generally agreed that the Smithsonian probably did not have the requisite expertise in real estate to manage such holdings for investment, but that this question of alternative modes of investment would be given complete consideration.

[[underlined]]Belmont House Property[[/underlined]]

In the context of the foregoing discussion, the Secretary described the possibilities of a sale of the Belmont property. "Belmont" is a Maryland manor house with some 364 acres of surrounding property, not far from the Baltimore-Washington Parkway and Friendship Airport. It was giving to the Smithsonian Institution in 1964 by the late David K. E. Bruce and Mrs. Howard Bruce, a widow of a Baltimore cousin of Ambassador Bruce, as a result of a suggestion made to Mr. Ripley in 1963 that this Maryland property might be of value to the Institution as a possible homne for the new Secretary. Mr. Ripley referred the matter to the Regents (meetings of January 23, 1964 and May 13, 1964) with the suggestion that, notwithstanding any intention of the Board to provide a residence for the Secretary, the property being well out from Washington, but at the same time being valuable, might serve effectively as a Conference Center. Thus the matter rested, and the property consisting of an historic manor house dating to 1738, several related buildings, and the tract of land in Elkridge, Maryland, was accepted by the Board. Belmont has been operated by the Institution as a Conference Center for over ten years.