Brookwood Farm
Encyclopedia
Brookwood Farm is a historic farm on Blue Hill River Road in Canton, Massachusetts
. Some of its fields, but none of the buildings, are in Milton
. It is owned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation
.
was built in 1690. The Cape Cod style house located on the street was built in 1800. The larger house, set about 1,500 feet (500m) back from the street, converted from a hunting lodge in 1954, has been considered for a Governor's Mansion. There are also several outbuildings. All of the buildings, except the Old Barn, are suffering from a lack of funding for their upkeep.
The farm comprises about 70 acres (30ha), about half in woods and the balance in fields. There are three ponds. It is bounded on the south by Route 128 / I-93, on the east by residences, on the west by property owned by Meditech
and on the north by Blue Hill River Road (which is called Hillside Street in Milton). Across Blue Hill River Road is Great Blue Hill
.
The farm's most recent private owner was Henry Saltonstall Howe, an insurance executive, who bought it in 1951, built the house, and lived there as a bachelor gentleman farmer until his death in 1994. He had donated the property to the state with a life estate
in 1976, so on his death it passed to the management of the Metropolitan District Commission which later became the Department of Conservation and Recreation.
In 2006, the DCR granted a permit to Brookwood Community Farm, Inc., a non-profit, to organically farm 1 acres (4,046.9 m²) for food and flowers. That has continued through 2010.
The farm was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 25, 1980, reference number 80000655. The barn was added separately at the same time, reference number 80000660.
Canton, Massachusetts
Canton is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 21,561 at the 2010 census. Canton is part of Greater Boston, about 15 miles southwest of downtown Boston.- History :...
. Some of its fields, but none of the buildings, are in Milton
Milton, Massachusetts
Milton is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States and part of the Greater Boston area. The population was 27,003 at the 2010 census. Milton is the birthplace of former U.S. President George H. W. Bush and architect Buckminster Fuller. Milton also has the highest percentage of...
. It is owned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation
Department of Conservation and Recreation (Massachusetts)
The Department of Conservation and Recreation is a state agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, situated in the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. It is best known for its parks and parkways. As of May 24, 2011 the Commissioner of the DCR is Edward M. Lambert, Jr...
.
Property
Its oldest building, the Old BarnOld Barn (Canton, Massachusetts)
Old Barn is a historic barn off of Blue Hill River Road in Canton, Massachusetts.It was built in 1690 and is the oldest building on Brookwood Farm. It is currently undergoing a major restoration undertaken by the North Bennet Street School. They have removed the oldest section for major work to...
was built in 1690. The Cape Cod style house located on the street was built in 1800. The larger house, set about 1,500 feet (500m) back from the street, converted from a hunting lodge in 1954, has been considered for a Governor's Mansion. There are also several outbuildings. All of the buildings, except the Old Barn, are suffering from a lack of funding for their upkeep.
The farm comprises about 70 acres (30ha), about half in woods and the balance in fields. There are three ponds. It is bounded on the south by Route 128 / I-93, on the east by residences, on the west by property owned by Meditech
Meditech
Medical Information Technology, Inc., commonly known as MEDITECH, is a Massachusetts-based software and service company selling information systems, which are installed in health care organizations throughout the world. The company was founded in 1969 by Chairman A. Neil Pappalardo.-Company...
and on the north by Blue Hill River Road (which is called Hillside Street in Milton). Across Blue Hill River Road is Great Blue Hill
Great Blue Hill
Great Blue Hill is a hill of 635 feet located within the Blue Hills Reservation in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Massachusetts, 10 miles southwest of Boston. It is the highest point in Norfolk County...
.
History
Its historical owner was General Samuel Parker, best known for his role in suppressing the 1919 Boston Police strike.The farm's most recent private owner was Henry Saltonstall Howe, an insurance executive, who bought it in 1951, built the house, and lived there as a bachelor gentleman farmer until his death in 1994. He had donated the property to the state with a life estate
Life estate
A life estate is a concept used in common law and statutory law to designate the ownership of land for the duration of a person's life. In legal terms it is an estate in real property that ends at death when there is a "reversion" to the original owner...
in 1976, so on his death it passed to the management of the Metropolitan District Commission which later became the Department of Conservation and Recreation.
In 2006, the DCR granted a permit to Brookwood Community Farm, Inc., a non-profit, to organically farm 1 acres (4,046.9 m²) for food and flowers. That has continued through 2010.
The farm was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 25, 1980, reference number 80000655. The barn was added separately at the same time, reference number 80000660.