JACKSON – Municipal officials will host Rova Farms Day from 1-4 p.m. Oct. 22 to celebrate a part of Jackson’s heritage and to reveal future plans for the historic site at 120 Cassville Road in the Cassville section of the community.
“Say Goodbye, Learn the History, See Future Plans,” a flier posted on the township’s
website announces.
“I would like to make everybody aware, if you haven’t already heard, that on Saturday,
Oct. 22, we will be having a Rova Farms Day celebration,” Councilman Stephen M.
Chisholm Jr. said during the Oct. 11 Township Council meeting.
“You will get an opportunity to see what’s going on over at the park, see some of the
changes, (see) what our DPW has been doing in just tidying up the place, as well as
whatever will be happening between now and then in terms of the demolition (of a former restaurant building), which is going to be starting shortly.
“We will also be highlighting some of the history, including artifacts of what Rova
was in the past, so if you are not a lifelong resident you can get to see what it
used to be.
“And we will be unveiling some of our future plans for the park and some of the ideas
that have been thrown around. So if you have the opportunity, come out there between 1 and 4 p.m. on Oct. 22,” Chisholm said.
According to a flier posted on the township’s website, the program for the three-hour event will include artistic presentations, historical discussion and the reveal of plans for the site, which dates to the early 20th century.
At 1 p.m., Galina Moroz will perform original songs in the style of Belarusian folklore, at 2:30 p.m., a dance ensemble will perform “Inspiration” and at 3:30 p.m., singer/soprano Tatyana Halitskaya will perform.
“They have performances scheduled and will discuss the history” of the property, Chisholm said, adding that Jackson officials “acquired the Rova Farms property and will demolish a building that served as a restaurant.”
Municipal officials did not respond to requests for additional information.
According to a Facebook page, the Rova Farms Historic District Association was founded to continue the work of community building and community advocacy on behalf of the larger Russian-American community in Cassville.
According to the page, the founding of the Rova Farms Resort dates to the early 20th
century when an initial wave of Russian immigrants purchased 1,400 acres in Cassville in 1934 and established the resort as a Russian-American cultural and social center, as well as to give Russian immigrants the opportunity to cultivate the land, grow vegetables and raise livestock.
Also established in Cassville were St. Vladimir’s Memorial Church and Cemetery, St. Mary’s Russian Orthodox Church, the A.S. Pushkin Memorial Home for Russian People and the Pushkin Memorial Park, according to the page.
In 2019, Jackson officials purchased 34 acres previously connected to the Rova Farms property at 120 Cassville Road for $600,000. Municipal officials said the land was purchased for preservation purposes.
According to a Feb. 18, 2022 article in the Tri-Town news, council members voted to
establish an advisory board to give residents input on deciding the future use of the
Rova Farms property.
The members of the advisory board will assist and advise Jackson officials in
implementing and planning the future use and development of the Rova Farms
properties that have been acquired.
In addition, residents voted to raise the open space tax rate that supports Jackson’s open space trust fund and the preservation of open space parcels, according to the article.