Whispering Pines Conference Center
In This Issue
History
Thanks from Lockwood McKinnon
Weddings & Fly Fishing
Recipe of the Month
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Greetings!

The Whispering Pines Conference Center is located at the URI W. Alton Jones Campus in West Greenwich, RI, featuring 2,300 acres of forests, lakes and streams.  We are celebrating 50 years of memories in 2012.  Share your reflections of your time here and we may feature it in one of our upcoming newsletters.  Send your submission to wpines@etal.uri.edu for consideration.  We look forward to reading your stories. 

Are you planning an event or retreat in 2012-2013?  Call us for availability at 401-397-3361 ext. 6056. 
What is thisHistory of the W. Alton Jones Campus
      

Eisenhower never slept at Whispering Pines, even though the master bedroom in the house is now called the Eisenhower Suite. Instead, the president flew back to Fort Adams or the Newport Naval Base each night. But his visits were apparently quite memorable, even to the president, who wrote a note of thanks to George Wheatley in 1958, which indicated that "those excursions to the farm were the highlights of my so-called vacation."

               President Eisenhower wasn't the only famous guest at Hianloland Farm. On May 28 and 29, 1960, His Majesty Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Deva, the king of Nepal, and his wife visited at the end of a 36-day tour of the United States and Canada. The visit was arranged by Edwin Arnold, a former Republican Party official in Coventry who was then deputy director of the International Cooperation Administration. Arnold recommended the farm as a suitable place for the king to rest prior to leaving the country. He was joined by an entourage that included Nepal's deputy prime minister of finance, its ambassador to the U.S., and several officials from the U.S. Department of State (among them a protocol officer who instructed the cooks how to properly prepare and serve the meals). Although Jones was not in attendance during the visit, the officials enjoyed a typical weekend of hunting and fishing. In thanks, the king gave Jones a pair of large coffee tables that incorporate bronze engravings of cultural scenes of Nepal. One table remains in Whispering Pines and the other is in use in The Nettles.

 

  Each month during our 50th Anniversary we will be featuring portions of the soon to be published book about the history of the W. Alton Jones Campus  by Todd McLeish  

 

Lockwood McKinnon LogoAnother satisfied guest at Whispering Pines...

 

"One of the many reasons we enjoy having our meetings at Whispering Pines is because of the food, outstanding service and hospitality we receive.  The quality and variety of the meals and the welcome feeling we get is as if we were invited to a friend's house who happens to be a great cook.

 

Gordon McKinnon

Lockwood/McKinnon Group 

A Taco Bell franchisee since 1989, Lockwood McKinnon currently owns 20 restaurants throughout southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island.    


Unforgettable Weddings at Whispering Pines.

 

Ten31 Productions  

Contact Erin Guerra, Wedding Coordinator at 401-397-3361 ext. 6010 for more information.  

Bring your colleagues and create some "Big Moments in the Woods" together.

fly fishing reel


An afternoon of fly fishing would add a unique "spin" to your next event.   Call us at 401-397-3361 ext. 6056 to customize your off-site retreat.
Salmon Nicoise Salmon Nicoise Salad
  • 1 pound new potatoes, scrubbed
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh herbs: parsley, chives, dill
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 large head Boston lettuce, leaves washed and dried
  • 1/4 pound cooked green beans
  • 2 cooked salmon fillets, flaked into small chunks
  • 2 hard-cooked eggs, cut in half
  • 1/4 cup niçoise olives (2 ounces)

Directions:  
Place the potatoes in a large saucepan of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until fork-tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together the chopped herbs, mustard, lemon juice, salt, and olive oil in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Remove the potatoes from the pot and cut them in half when they are cool enough to handle. Arrange the lettuce, potatoes, and green beans on 4 plates. Top each with the salmon, eggs, and olives. Drizzle with the dressing and serve.

Tip: To make perfect hard-cooked eggs (soft whites, no rubbery texture, and no green rings around the yolks) place the eggs in a pot of cold water, then bring it to a boil. Turn off the heat and let the eggs sit in the water, covered, for 15 minutes. Drain, then plunge the eggs into cold water. Peeling the eggs under cold running water makes the shells easier to remove.


Click here for printable recipe.