Mildred Scott Olmsted, who lived in her home from 1932 until her death just before her 100th birthday in 1990, clearly understood the historic significance of Thunderbird Lodge.
Her will provided that her descendants could live in the house indefinitely. When no descendant wished to live there or the family could no longer financially maintain the property the first option for the family was to donate Thunderbird Lodge to an appropriate 501(c) (3) charitable organization which would commit to preserving the building for posterity.
The Rose Valley Centennial Foundation is grateful to Mildred Olmsted for her foresight in seeing that this masterpiece of Arts and Crafts Design is cared for and available for future generations to appreciate and to the members of the Olmsted Family Trust who had faith that the Rose Valley Centennial was the organization that could carry out Mildred Scott Olmsted’s ultimate vision for Thunderbird Lodge.
Mrs. Olmsted was a committed Quaker and pacifist. She was active in the woman’s suffrage movement and later in the civil rights movement. She received a lifetime achievement award from the city of Philadelphia and The Women’s League Peace and Freedom Award.
Her husband, Allen S. Olmsted, II was Judge of the Court of Common Pleas and the founder of the American Civil Liberties Union. He prepared the petition for the incorporation of Rose Valley Borough in 1923.