Retro Curious Rebellious: The Revival

There was an overwhelming sense of success that flooded the room at the “Afternoon with Doris” Event upon entry. Even ten minutes before the start of the festivities, the church was abuzz with happy thoughts and cheerful attitudes geared toward a positive future. Of the speakers on Miss Duke’s behalf, the event hosted Elisabeth and Carl whose lives were spent in part on the lavish Duke Estate.

The first statements were provided by the DORIS group’s representing attorney, David Brook, who summarized the course of the trials. The greatest question he asks the Judge now is “how was this legal process arbitrary or subjective? We all think there is a reason. Question is, what’s their reason?” State officials, elected senators and assemblymen, county and township officials all seem to have the same response: deadly silence. We await the opinion of the judge this coming Friday. We know that the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation used their financial power to intimidate another charity that creates perversion in the case as of the week of Monday, February 22nd, 2016. “We hope,” Brook explains, “that the judge will identify the abuses of power that have taken place here.”

“It is pretty significant that the national parks service spokesperson has prepared a letter in our favor for these hearings” Describes Nancy Piwowar. “All of it is accessible through the DORIS Facebook pages”.

Liz McConville explains the value that Doris placed on her Estate, her home, all while wearing the brass Bull Durham, a gift from Miss Duke, lovingly around her neck. “She donated 400 million dollars to charity in her lifetime. That was for public record. But she also gave millions away privately. What really bothers me is that the millions that she left to her foundation is being used wrongly to tear down her house- her favorite house! I know what her house meant to her. It would be a travesty to everything she stood for across the state and the world to tear it down.”
She also describes what Doris was really like outside the tabloids. “You can only imagine what it is like to have so much money and not know what to do with it! She was difficult and demanding but pleasant and thoughtful. You’ll never know someone that rich in your entire life.” Miss McConville carried on to read a chapter of her book, which is yet to be public.

New events are also brewing with the promise of fabulous springtime weather on the near horizon. The Retro Revival staff, in conjunction with members of DORIS, will be working on long-term projects to keep the interest in the Duke Family legacy alive. Picnics will begin in April, so please keep your calendars ready for some Saturday afternoons. Also being coordinated are ‘Prances in the Park’, a new miniseries spinoff of the Trials of Doris, which will be conducted in a sponsorship fashion. These ‘prances’ will be choreographed numbers performed by anyone who is interested along with the staff of RR, and all monies donated by sponsors will go to a predetermined charity of choice that is congruent with the interests of the Dukes. Some suggestions so far include the DORIS legal defense fund, local animal shelters, preservation efforts, arts, culture, horticulture, and medical fields. More information will follow and a new column will be prepared for “Prances in the Park”. Please email theretrorevivalist@gmail.com for any interested dancers or patrons. ALL PROCEEDS FOR SPONSORSHIP WILL GO TO THE DORIS LEGAL DEFENSE FUND, AND ALL DONORS WILL BE LISTED WHEN A VIDEO IS POSTED. Thank you, and stay curious!

Beloved readers and supporters of the DORIS group, today was the set date for the trial to continue to be heard at Somerset County court. At 10am EST, the proceedings began. After much deliberation over the course of several hours, the verdict will be reached and disclosed at the end of next week. While some may be disappointed at the delay of hopefully good news, this is a vital step to review all criteria for a sound decision to be made. In this time, the Retro Revival has collaborated with DORIS to create a promotional video, ‘Save Duke Mansion’ for your viewing and sharing pleasure.

We also look forward to a very exciting new chapter to begin at the Duke Estate following an announcement to be made tomorrow at the Afternoon with Doris event held in Somerville. Please reference our last article for the details.

Please rally support in the next week if at all possible. No matter what happens, the RR team of writers is very excited to unveil projects of charity and community engagement for the new revival of the Duke Estate for years to come. We hope to keep this last estate of the industrial Dukes (and Duchesses) intact as a whole, and your support begins with the ancestral home of the Duke Family. After all, family and community is what these elites were all about. Keep the love alive and stay curious, darlings. #SaveDukeMansion

For the latest and greatest, please ‘like’ us on Facebook.com/retrorevivalblog and now you can also follow us on our brand-new Twitter, @RetroRevivalist Cheers!!!

Yes, there have been strides of energy conservation, environmentally-conscious innovation, and attention to modernized detail taking place at Duke Farms. What has DORIS brought to the surface this time? The litter on the property is surprisingly high, reportedly ‘new’ technology for the LEED standards of buildings have been used before, and plant life is not solely indigenous as they say.

First off, we begin with the litter problem. This is probably the most visible problem for the general public to identify, but not without truly observing the landscape. Duke Farms has a curious attitude toward people staying on the path most traveled by. While they encourage guests to learn and become better stewards of the land, they do not indicate that all guests are to remain obediently on the paths, ask no curious questions, and refrain from all research about the history of the land aside from what they produce for you. Upon a very light inspection of the lakes, hills, and other locations that stray less than 10 feet from most paths, any guest can identify flakes of plastic from previous research tents, construction efforts, and other additional work done by the foundation. Litter of any kind can become fatal for wildlife such as fish, turtles, waterfowl, and land-dwelling creatures. If ingested, animals can suffer organ damage or failure, and suffer tremendously. For some reason, the environmental stewards at Duke Farms find it acceptable to leave bits and pieces of their projects behind. No self-sustaining habitat has a place for plastics, construction materials, or waterlogged tarp. While the technology and green building that the site is known for are used extensively across the property, the more basic protocol for the environmentally conscious seems to be cast aside. Does no one pick up after themselves? Do the staff at Duke Farms perceive themselves as ‘above’ providing such a service to the land?

Next, the technology that Duke Farms uses is indeed state-of-the-art, but it is not the first time it was implemented. According to research, while these technologies like geothermal heating apparatuses and solar powered waterfalls are indeed environmentally conscious, they have been used by other locations before Duke Farms applied the concepts in their ‘revival’ of the sprawling estate. Geothermal energy specifically, has an extensive history dating back as far as the 1800s. Click Here for Info about Geothermal Energy
Let’s keep in mind that these changes to the now-visitor’s center took place in 2012, not 1904.
Another powerful component of Duke Farms’ energy conservation and renewable energy is their expansive use of solar panels. But, these two have been used for years prior to their renovations. Although discovered in 1876, solar cell energy didn’t gain practical applications until 1953 when the industries began using the energy source in toys and radios. For another history synopsis, please Visit The Site Here

So let’s move on to the plant life: the very mission statement from article 2A1-2 in Miss Duke’s will delegates that the ‘parks area’ should be used to protect and encourage the growth of endangered flora and fauna. Why then, is this so viciously cherry-picked too? Instead of seeing the estate as Doris maintained it, (with her and her father’s choice of plant life), it has been left to indigenous weeds… or so the foundation claims. Upon closer inspection from those who have a horticultural background, dozens of trees, shrubs, and other assorted foliage have no such roots in New Jersey: and that’s the way the Dukes wanted it. Hosting foreign plants in the Gilded Age was a way to display wealth, describe travels, and learn about nature as it occurs in different localities. In a vicarious way, these non-native plants served to educate visitors and guests of the Dukes about faraway places.

Much has yet to change at the Duke Estate. We look forward to following the journey it will take to bring back similar splendor to the property. Until next time, stay curious, darlings! We hope to see some of you at the Afternoon with Doris event this Saturday at the Somerville United Reformed Church at 2pm. For more information, please email dorisduke1932@gmail.com

In this exclusive column of the Trials of Doris, we have taken a severe interest in the blemishes that the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation gave itself. Of these, we are going to explore two conversation starters: noncompliance with the last will and testament of its benefactor, and the curious case of a loan from the state, even though this private charity doesn’t accept money.

The first portion, regarding non-compliance to the final will and testament of Doris Duke herself, is probably the most inappropriate of all their actions. Think of it in simplest terms: a tenant (the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, DDCF) signs a contract (the will in which the foundation was created). The will is a legal document. So if we abide by basic laws, failing to adhere to a contract means that deviant actions are subject to penalty. By that very generic legal staple, several aspects of Miss Duke’s will have been violated.

First, 2A2 of the will indicates that the ‘parks area’ which we are all familiar with, is to be used to “provide an enclosure to protect endangered species of all kinds, both flora and fauna, from becoming extinct”. Why then, was there a hunt permitted after her death to remove the animals from her farm? Albino deer, swan, other waterfowl and creatures disappeared. Congruent with this discovery, any visitor to the farms can see the deer fence erected around the entire property that now forbids deer entry to the area, where they once roamed freely. We don’t ever hear of the Doris Duke Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife. It should, but doesn’t, exist. Ironically, the directions for the Somerville estate (Duke Farms) are first on the will, probably indicating that it was her greatest priority, regardless of what the tabloids suggest. Reference her will here.

Furthermore, what has become of the Duke Gardens Foundation? This Foundation was cited in the will also. Similarly to the foundation established specifically catered to the preservation of endangered species, this subdivision of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation has mysteriously faded as of 2008. Why? The Princeton Packet reported on April 11, 2008, making the erroneous statement that, “According to foundation sources, the day of the display gardens is past. They consume an inordinate share of financial and staff resources, they would require a very expensive modernization…” (Citation here) Certainly the storage shed it is used for now far better  reflects the love that the Duke family had for nature and its beauty. What gives the DDCF the authority to cherry-pick and terminate programs that were set forth to be adhered to?

Now let’s talk about that loan. One of the greatest and most timeless characteristics we advocate for at the Retro Revival is authenticity. Here, we observe something contradictory: $55 million dollars is nothing to scoff at, even for a charitable entity worth close to 2 billion dollars presently. This loan and bond deal was set up by Duke Farms to pay for the ENTIRETY of the work for the restoration of the Farm Barn orientation center and other changes made to accommodate visitors in 2009. The New Jersey Economic Development Authority was used to acquire these funds, which were our tax dollars. The Farms did not raise any money for these renovations. So is this a private charitable foundation, or is it truly supported by state-generated loans? Unfortunately, it can’t be both. If we use this logic and ask them to borrow more money, why aren’t the greenhouses or her residence being restored and preserved for visitors in the same, equal, and just fashion?

Let’s just say the financial inconsistencies don’t stop there. The foundation refuses to charge fees for tours of the mansion as suggested by the public, and during the destruction of the Garden of Nations, they also claimed to be in the process of a completely free visitor’s experience. Why then does their website advertise programs that people can sign up for? These programs aren’t cheap either!

Now, dear readers, the half-truths become whole truths. Keep up the good work, DORIS.

In the eleventh article revolving around the inappropriate antics of the internationally acclaimed Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, DORIS makes a rousing comeback in the process to save Duke Mansion. The estate, still intact in Hillsborough NJ, has suffered some serious internal changes since December. Although the Duke Farms Foundation did receive permission from the township’s historic preservation commission to demolish the iconic home (the last of the industrial barons’ estates nationwide), the DFF did not apply for a permit until fairly recently. Instead, they chose to dismantle the home from the inside out. In doing so, several doors, windows, and mantles made their way to an architectural salvage firm in Barnegat, NJ. Research is being done to determine the connection between the DFF and the salvage firm, Recycling The Past.

The ancient Arabic fountain once located in the palm room has reportedly been sent to Rough Point in Rhode Island for safekeeping with the rest of the un-auctioned Doris Duke collection. Confirmation of its whereabouts is pending…

The Retro Revival is also very pleased to announce that merchandise for the DORIS group will be readily available soon.

Extended comparative research also brought the DORIS group to analyze other ‘rogue’ nonprofit groups, such as the one responsible for Muhlenberg Hospital. While an analysis by an independent is available here, some similarities in behavior by the foundations in charge include the expanse of land that each is responsible for. More information is slated to follow.

Please also mark your calendars for February 20th; the DORIS group will be hosting a large event. Further details will be published as they are announced.

Another great stride was made this week in the filming of the emotional “Bring Doris Home” video, provided by DORIS members. The entire process was devised and executed through amateur means, and we look forward to the next in its series to be released at a later date. Although not promotional, this video expresses the loss that this community has felt every step of the way in this heart-wrenching process. Quite honestly, there is no need for a specific message here; the emphasis throughout the video was trying to find what’s missing from the estate. What we miss and long for the most is the one thing we have to fight for. So please, if you are reading this for the first time, help this noble grassroots movement bring Doris home. Save Duke Mansion. This is the clip:

Our next newsletter will include the investigation on several curious actions that the DDCF has spearheaded over the years. Further details will emerge by the end of the week. In the meantime, please feel free to sign up to receive email updates for the Retro Revival, like us on Facebook, and add your comments here. We are also pleased to announce that Harpie has learned to embed media for your convenience.

In a most recent update from DORIS and the fight to save Duke Mansion, the Retro Revival is pleased to announce that on Friday (tomorrow) there will be a conference held between parties and a judge that can delegate a ‘stay’ against all actions made in attempts to demolish or further dismantle the historic main residence at Duke Farms.

We also confirm at this time that further actions to prove unjust activity at the Farms and by the hands of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation will be taken by members of the DORIS group and beyond- several activists agree, summarizing that “we will not stop until the right things begin to happen for Dukes, and we won’t stop until we feel that goals will continue to be met in the likeness of the Dukes, not the big shots in charge now”. Other DORIS members also released that the recent pro-Foundation press is likely being used to repair the tarnished reputation of the DDCF, but don’t be fooled. The actions at the estate in Hillsborough will not be forgotten, and things have only just begun to change for the better at the ever-beautiful Duke Estate.

Just as things are about to get exciting for 2016, STAY TUNED! New updates and big reveals are coming up in 1 week!

This week marks a Christmas milestone in the progress of the DORIS group. Reporter Gene Robbins of the Hillsborough Beacon, a local paper that has followed our story since its conception, sums it up perfectly in his latest composition here:http://www.centraljersey.com/news/hillsborough_beacon/hillsborough-final-curtain-about-to-fall-on-duke-mansion/article_3003c5dc-a8fe-11e5-8bf5-e362e9a4a699.html

We consider this his best yet! A thorough analysis has been conducted by Gene that catalogues the highlights of the plaintiff and defendant perspectives. Just in time for the holiday season, the Trials of Doris will resume in 2016. Thank you for your continued support!