New England Farmhouse

Marie Hill Farmhouse // c.1810

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Located in the charming rural town of Andover, Vermont, the Marie Hill Farmhouse is one of the most interesting and charming residences in the area. Built around 1810, the brick farmhouse was designed in the Federal style, with a symmetrical five-bay facade, brick end chimneys, and a fanlight over the front door. The property was purchased by New Yorkers, Laurence Pfluger and his wife Mary “Marie” Pfluger, who operated the farm, raising dairy cows. Laurence would ship eggs, dairy and meat to his market in New York from this farm, which did quite well financially. The farmhouse was “modernized” by the turn of the 20th century with the addition of the two-story octagonal towers on the facade, front and side porches, along with the decorative slate spelling out “Marie Hill Farm” after his Marie Pflueger. The residence was later converted into a guesthouse, a use that remains to this day, still retaining the iconic name and branding in the southern gable.

James Adams Farmhouse // c.1785

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This handsome New England farmhouse is located in rural Canterbury, Connecticut, and showcases the type of farmhouses available to local wealthy residents in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The construction dates to about 1785, just after James Adams, a Lieutenant in the American Revolution, purchased land here. The property remained in the Adams Family until 1859. The structure rests on
a fieldstone foundation and is sheathed with clapboards. The Georgian farmhouse incorporates a five-bay facade with central entry with five-light transom and a large stone central chimney and jettied gable ends on the sides.

Asa Bacon Farmhouse // 1783

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Located in northern Canterbury, Connecticut, this rural farmhouse was built following the American Revolution, showcasing the emergence of the Federal style from the Colonial Georgian type farmhouses before. The house dates to 1783 and was built by Captain Asa Bacon (1735-1819), a wealthy farmer and captain in the Revolutionary War. The home was also occupied by his son, Asa Bacon Jr. (1771-1857) a Yale educated lawyer who practiced law in town before moving to Litchfield. Asa Jr. was a turnpike promoter, advocating for turnpikes through the formerly sleepy agricultural town, opening it up to trade and commerce. The early Federal-period home features a five-bay facade and central entry with triangular pediment and fluted pilasters. The house appears much like it would have when originally built besides the Victorian-era two-over-two window sashes installed in the late 19th century. The farm even retains a few 19th century barns, likely built when the windows were replaced by later owners.

Jackson-Richards Farmhouse // c.1768

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This historic home at the edge of Newton Centre is believed to have been built by 1768 by Abraham Jackson, a descendant of one of the earliest settlers in what would become Newton. Abraham took out a mortgage on three acres of land and woodlands, a dwelling house and barn. In 1782, the property was acquired by Aaron Richards (1750-1823), a Revolutionary War veteran and carpenter, who likely modified the residence into the Federal style form and design we see today. Aaron Richards would farm the land here until his death. The farmhouse would be bought and sold and the property subdivided in the 19th and 20th centuries, diminishing the farm and woodland which once surrounded the residence. For a period after the Civil War, the property was owned by the Boston Children’s Aid Society as a Girl’s Home, used as a boarding house to raise orphaned girls from the Boston area, teaching them skills to increase their hopes of adoption or moving out on their own. The property was reverted to a residence by the 20th century and is significant as one of Newton’s few extant 18th-century farmhouses.

Bailey Farmhouse // c.1767

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One of the oldest homes in Weare, New Hampshire is this large, Georgian farmhouse apparently constructed around 1767 by Samuel Bailey. Samuel’s father, Ebenezer Bailey, had purchased a property called “Lot 54, Range 1” in Weare, New Hampshire, which he then divided among his sons, Daniel, Samuel and Ebenezer Jr. for their own settlement in about 1767. Samuel received this lot in South Weare, upon which, the twenty-two-year-old and his wife established a farm and a family of at least eight children. Samuel died in 1824 and the farm was inherited by his son, Amos Wood Bailey, who continued operations here. Today, the large five-bay Georgian farmhouse is connected to a massive barn. It is a really spectacular property.

Almeron Goodell Farmhouse // 1863

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The Little River area of Waterbury, Vermont, was a very sparsely developed area of farms located on the slope of Ricker Mountain, which was difficult to traverse and farm. Almeron Goodell (1834-1910) and his wife Luthera bought farmland here in 1863 and built this farmhouse that year from rough-hewn timbers on the land. In 1870, the couple and their seven-year-old son, Bert, had four cows, one horse, and a flock of chickens on their property – enough to supply the family’s needs. Life on Ricker Mountain was hard. By the late 1800s, the loss of soil fertility on the land prompted some farmers to abandon the hillsides for more fertile land in the valleys nearby or the free land offered in the American West. Additionally, the Green Mountain Power Company began purchasing farmland to erect a hydroelectric dam and reservoir in 1920, effectively abandoning the area. The Little River area was left behind, with abandoned farms, family cemeteries, and carriage roads, slowly returning back to the earth. Luckily for us, the area is preserved as part of the Little River State Park, where you can hike and explore the area, learning about the past inhabitants of the now ghost village. The Goodell Farmhouse is the only extant farmhouse left from this early settlement and a lasting reminder of how hard life was for many who settled in undeveloped land in New England. The farmhouse was used as a hunting lodge in the 1940s, likely the only reason it still stands to this day.

Dale-Pease-Bigelow Homestead // c.1800

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In the early years of the establishment of the settlement of Landgrove Vermont, Joshua Dale 1765-1845) moved to the newly incorporated town and built this large farmhouse on the south-facing slope of a mountain. With strong ties to nearby Weston, he tried to make a life in the new town of Landgrove, serving as a selectman, but he and his family moved back just four years later. The property was purchased by Obadiah Pease (1766-1830) who lived here with his wife Achsah and their seven children. The farm was eventually willed to their son Elihu, who did very well farming the property during his ownership (1830-1857). In 1842, he was the third-richest man in town at just 39 years old. From 1855 to 1857 he farmed only half the farm and a Shrewsbury man, Dexter R. Way, farmed the rest. At age 54, Elihu sold his farm to Dexter Way and left Landgrove to Wisconsin. After successive ownership, the farm was bought in 1933 by Nelson and Elizabeth Bigelow, for $1,500! The property included 200 acres of land, a dilapidated farmhouse and two decrepit barns. For the following seven years the land was gradually brought under control and the house restored, but the barns were unsalvageable. This homestead is a lasting example as to what a little faith and hard-work can accomplish, bringing what is seen as a tear-down up to one of the nicest homes in the area!

Cory House // c.1859

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I stumbled upon this Greek Revival farmhouse located on one of many dirt roads in Landgrove, Vermont and had to snap a few photos! I couldn’t find much on the history of the house besides the fact it was listed on an 1869 atlas as the property of an “I. Cory”. The five-bay farmhouse has an elaborate door treatment and bold corner pilasters all perched behind a historic stone wall. The house telescoped outward with additions, eventually connecting it to what is now a garage. This farmhouse purchased in the 20th century by John A. Brown, who worked as Dean of Students at Princeton University.

Atherton Farmstead // c.1840

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This beautiful farmhouse in Cavendish, Vermont is located along a winding dirt road and has ties to one of the town’s original family’s. A home was built here in 1785 and changed hands numerously over the first few decades of its existence. The farmhouse that was built also served as a tavern for travellers along the newly laid out Wethersfield Turnpike. It is possible that the cheap land and rural character of the new town was appealing to some, but reality away from true commerce may have made many sell the farm after a few years, which could explain why the property was bought and sold so often early on. The property was purchased by Jonathan Atherton, a Revolutionary War veteran, farmer, surveyor and lawyer, who acquired large landholdings in Cavendish. In 1821, Jonathan Atherton was sued in court by his neighbor, Jedediah Tuttle for beating Tuttle’s wife Lydia. In order to finance the bonds, Atherton mortgaged all his real estate in Cavendish to his brother Joseph, and Elihu Ives, Jonathan Atherton Jr.’s father-in-law. Atherton St. lost the case and had to pay a fine. The property was eventually inherited by Stedman Atherton, the youngest son of Jonathan, who seems to have demolished the old homestead and constructed the present home on the site. The original dwelling was also the childhood home of Henry B. Atherton, a staunch abolitionist and soldier in the American Civil War, who later served as a lawyer and state legislator for New Hampshire, and his sister Eliza (Atherton) Aiken, a Civil War nurse who has been referred to as America’s own “Florence Nightingale”. The old Atherton farmstead was recently renovated.

Church House // c.1840

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When you think of the quintessential New England Village, what do you think of? These villages of white houses around a town green, usually anchored by a congregational church with a tall, white steeple, have been the subject of myriad photographs and memories for decades. Why are so many like this? Well, historically, the bright white we know of as a common house color was not available until the 1920s. Before the early 1900s, “white” paint was more cream or off-white as we would describe it. Many such villages started seeing white paint proliferate as Titanium Dioxide was mixed with pigments to generate the bright white, about at the same time Colonial Revival style homes saw a second resurgence in popularity. The bright-white paint was more expensive and represented stability and prestige. Publications like Yankee Magazine showed photographs of these charming villages blending into the freshly fallen snow or fall foliage and the romanticization of New England truly began. Newfane, Vermont is one of these villages, which are dominated by the bright white paint. It is an obvious choice, especially due to the number of classically inspired Greek Revival style houses.

Scott Farm – Pig Barn // 1911

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Cows, horses and pigs once dominated the 571-acre landscape of Scott Farm in Dummerston, VT. We have seen where the farmer, cows, and horses lived, so now it’s time to see where the pigs “pigged” out. This barn building was constructed around the time of the horse barn when the farm was owned by Frederick Holbrook II of Boston. The one-and-a-half-story pig barn, like the others, was built into the landscape which would allow for the animals to easily get into the structures. This building was used as the “Cider House” in the 1999 movie Cider House Rules.

Scott Farm – Horse Barn // c.1910

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You saw the cow barn at Scott Farm, now you can see where the horses lived! The Horse Barn at Scott Farm in Dummerston, Vermont is a very photogenic building with its symmetrical facade and bright colors. The barn was built not long after Frederick Holbrook II of Boston acquired most of the farm to add to Naulakha, where he lived. Holbrook used the farm as a gentleman’s farm where he would have laborers managing the grounds and supplying him with the freshest produce and dairy products. Inside, there is a ramp down to the basement which still retains the horse stalls, it’s so charming!

Scott Farm – Farmhouse // c.1845

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Scott Farm, established as a working farm in the late 18th century and as a commercial apple orchard in 1911, is an excellent example of the vernacular architecture that Vermont is known for. The sprawling 571-acre farm was established in Dummerston in 1791 and purchased by Rufus Scott in the mid-1800s. In the 1840s, he built this farmhouse and many of the barn buildings soon after. The five bay Greek Revival house is in a Cape form and retains its historic slate roof and detailing. The property has been owned since 1995 by The Landmark Trust USA, a non-profit organization whose mission is to preserve historic properties through creative sustainable uses for public enjoyment and education. The farm sits a short drive to Naulakha and the Dutton Farmhouse (both featured previously) which are also managed by the Landmark Trust USA.

Dutton Farmhouse // c.1840

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Another one of the Landmark Trust USA properties in Dummerston, Vermont is the Dutton Farmhouse, a meticulously restored Greek Revival farmhouse from around 1840. The gable-roof farmhouse was possibly an addition to an earlier dwelling built decades earlier as a one-and-a-half-story center-chimney home, seen at the rear today. The first known owner of the farmhouse was Asa Dutton who farmed off the large orchards. Generations later, the farmhouse served as a dormitory for migrant laborers who worked nearby, with the interior being altered. The property was eventually gifted to the Landmark Trust USA, who began a massive restoration project on the home, uncovering original detailing and even historic wallpaper! The house has since been meticulously restored and preserved and is available for short-term rentals! The charming interiors and near silence outside is a perfect getaway from city life.

Tower-Wyman Farmhouse // pre-1790

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One of the oldest extant homes in Waban Village, Newton, is this 18th century farmhouse which is an excellent example a Federal-period home in the Boston area. Dates of construction for this house have ranged from c.1765 to 1790. The earliest recorded ownership of 38 acres of land at this location is attributed to Eleazer Hyde (1664-1731), one of Newton’s earliest citizens and one of a long line of Hydes in Newton. From 1772 to 1791, the house was owned by Josiah Starr. Immediately after, this property was owned by a housewright named Capt. Ebenezer Richardson, who possibly built or re-built this house in the current configuration. Thaddeus Tower owned the land from 1844-1866, when the City of Boston took a portion of it in 1848 for the new Cochituate Aqueduct, which ran right behind his home. Not long after, Thaddeus sold the farm to Edward Wyman, a linen importer from Roxbury. He subsequently
sold it to his brother Dr. Morrill Wyman in 1869. Dr. Morrill Wyman sold 150-acre property to developers, never appearing to have lived in the home, after the railroad came west from Boston in 1886 and increased the value of the surrounding farmland, later known as the village of Waban. All of the land was developed with homes, and all that remains of the old farm is the farmhouse seen here.