History Conversations REWIND | Timberlawn: The Birthplace of the Special Olympics

with Serena Bolliger |

In 1901, fledgling architect Arthur Heaton designed a Georgian-styled country home for his aunt and uncle overlooking rolling farmland near Rockville. The home, eventually named Timberlawn, stands as the only remaining piece of the sprawling estate where Eunice Kennedy Shriver founded Camp Shriver in 1962. This unique summer camp, designed for children with intellectual disabilities, inspired and led to the creation of the Special Olympics. Eunice Shriver, a lifelong advocate for disability rights, revolutionized physical recreation opportunities for children with intellectual disabilities while living at Timberlawn, and drove the creation of pioneering legislation enshrining their rights. Join Serena Bolliger as she shares the incredible story of this unique structure and its global impact.

Originally presented July 2025.