Department of Conservation and Recreation

Media inquiries: Please contact Gary Waugh, gary.waugh@dcr.virginia.gov, 804-786-5045.

Office of the Governor, Governor Timothy M. Kaine
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: February 02, 2006
Contact: Gary Waugh, DCR Public Relations Manager, (804) 786-5045, gary.waugh@dcr.virginia.gov

Historic State Park Building Renovated and Renamed for Tayloe and Helen Murphy
Westmoreland facility to honor years of conservation work

RICHMOND - Governor Timothy M. Kaine today announced that a historic building at Westmoreland State Park will be renovated and renamed Tayloe and Helen Murphy Hall in honor of former Delegate and Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources W. Tayloe Murphy Jr. and his wife. The building, which once served as the Park’s restaurant, is being renovated by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation to serve as a site for meetings, special events and environmental education.

“This is a meaningful way to show our appreciation to Tayloe and Helen Murphy for years of service to the people and natural resources of Virginia,” said Governor Kaine. “Developing this facility in Westmoreland County, overlooking the Potomac River, is a tangible recognition of what this formidable team has accomplished for the Commonwealth.”

The park restaurant was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the mid-1930s when Westmoreland became one of six original state parks to open to the public on June 15, 1936. The building’s interior features exposed beams, a large brick fireplace, and wrought iron hardware forged by a blacksmith on site. The renovations, scheduled to be completed this year, are funded by DCR’s state park revenues fund, comprised of funds from park sales, charitable donations and other revenue sources.

“It is appropriate that we recognize Tayloe and Helen during the seventieth anniversary of the Virginia State Park system,” said Joseph Maroon, director of the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. “Combined, they have made immeasurable strides in helping Virginia protect both her natural and historic resources.”

Governor Mark R. Warner appointed Murphy as Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources in 2002. Since then, the Commonwealth has acquired three new state parks, 12 new natural area preserves and has added acreage to numerous other parks and preserves; completed and begun implementation of extensive strategies to clean up the Chesapeake Bay and Virginia’s tributaries; developed stringent new water quality standards statewide; and made the largest financial investment in restoring Virginia’s water quality in the state’s history.

Prior to his appointment as Secretary, Murphy served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1982 to 2000, ultimately serving as Chairman of the Chesapeake Bay Commission. He was also chairman of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission during a two-year JLARC review of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.

“Throughout his tenure in the General Assembly, Delegate Murphy was noted for his commitment to environmental conservation and stewardship and protection of Virginia's natural resources,” said Virginia Natural Resources Secretary Preston Bryant. “Tayloe was an instrumental leader behind the Assembly's passage of both the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act and the Virginia Water Quality Improvement Act.”

Helen Murphy has also been active in protecting Virginia’s natural and historical resources. She presently serves on the Virginia Historic Resources Board and is a past member of the Virginia Board of Conservation and Recreation. She also served on the Caledon Natural Area Task Force and on master plan advisory committees for Caledon and Westmoreland State Park. Long active in the Garden Clubs of Virginia, in 2002, both Murphys were awarded the Massie Medal for Distinguished Achievement, the GCV’s oldest and most prestigious award for their work with The Garden Club of Northern Neck.

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