Woman bought family farm in 1908, spent decades painting and birdwatching, then left it as sanctuary

Mabel Norman Cerio turned her 1908 purchase of Paradise Farm in Middletown, Rhode Island, into a lifelong connection with art, wildlife and conservation.

An artist and birdwatcher, she planned a bird sanctuary during her lifetime and later left the property to the community through her trust.

After her death in 1949, the land became the Norman Bird Sanctuary, which today protects 300 acres of coastal habitat, six miles of trails and diverse wildlife.

Her legacy also includes her paintings, sculpture interests and historic links to artists in Europe.