Ordway, Katharine (1899–1979)

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Ordway, Katharine (1899–1979)

American biologist, art collector and conservationist. Born April 3, 1899; died June 27, 1979, in Weston, CT.

Heiress to the 3M fortune, set out to preserve tallgrass prairies; established the Goodhill foundation (1959); was benefactor to 54,000 acres of grassland in 5 midwestern states, the largest private prairie-sanctuary system in the world; donated $64 million to conservation causes; her contributions to the Nature Conservancy served to make the group a major force in land preservation.