▁Grad ually , ▁adult ▁and ▁family ▁programs ▁were ▁created , ▁which ▁required ▁more ▁facility ▁than ▁the ▁one ▁building . ▁Pl anning ▁began , ▁and ▁the ▁Dow ▁Chem ical ▁Company ▁Foundation ▁gave ▁$ 1 ▁million ▁for ▁that ▁purpose . ▁Gr ound ▁was ▁broken ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁and ▁eigh teen ▁months ▁later , ▁the ▁Inter pret ive ▁Building ▁was ▁dedicated . ▁The ▁structure ▁contained ▁a ▁wild life ▁view ing ▁area , ▁class rooms , ▁an ▁aud itor ium ▁and ▁space ▁for ▁exhib its ▁and ▁offices . ▁It ▁was ▁renamed ▁the ▁Vis itor ▁Center ▁years ▁later . ▁ ▁When ▁the ▁property ▁le ase ▁ended ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁the ▁land ▁was ▁given ▁to ▁the ▁C NC ▁by ▁the ▁Herbert ▁and ▁Grace ▁Dow ▁Foundation . ▁Through ▁the ▁years , ▁the ▁center ▁has ▁received ▁gener ous ▁support ▁from ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁community ▁and ▁area ▁found ations ▁from ▁people , ▁which ▁allowed ▁the ▁C NC ▁to ▁grow ▁and ▁expand ▁its ▁curr icul um ▁of ▁nature ▁and ▁environmental ▁programs . ▁ ▁Fac ilities ▁and ▁activities ▁The ▁ ▁of ▁tra ils ▁are ▁open ▁year - round ▁from ▁dawn ▁til ▁dark ▁and ▁there ▁is ▁no ▁ ▁ad mission ▁to ▁the ▁Vis itor ▁Center ▁and ▁tra ils . ▁Many ▁programs ▁are ▁free ▁or ▁the ▁fee ▁is ▁nom inal . ▁In ▁winter , ▁cross - country ▁ski ing ▁and ▁snow sh oe ing ▁are ▁encourag ed . ▁The ▁center ▁offers ▁educational ▁programs ▁for ▁everyone , ▁r anging ▁from ▁pr esch ool ▁to ▁senior ▁adult s , ▁and