• Where We Work
  • Alabama
  • Alaska
  • Arizona
  • Arkansas
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Connecticut
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Hawaii
  • Idaho
  • Illinois (Chicago Area)
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Maine
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey
  • New Mexico
  • New York
  • North Carolina
  • Northern Rockies
  • Ohio
  • Oklahoma
  • Oregon
  • Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island
  • South Carolina
  • Tennessee (Chattanooga)
  • Texas
  • The Caribbean
  • Utah
  • Vermont
  • Virginia
  • Washington
  • West Virginia
  • Wisconsin

 

Campaign to Protect Daniel Webster's Farm

Few farm properties come with as much history as the Webster Farm. Native Americans gathered at this verdant bend in the Merrimack River to farm, fish, and honor their ancestors for centuries before the white men came. In 1745, settlers from the Seacoast began raising the Stevenstown Fort, which marked the northern frontier of the British colonies during the French & Indian War. Philip Call, the first settler, cleared the fields around the fort. Young John Stark guided the survey party that laid out the "Coos Road" along the river. When Ebenezer Webster, Daniel's father, returned from his service during the American Revolution after the peace with England was signed in 1783, he bought 110 acres of this prime riverfront farmland from Sarah Call, and moved his family to the intervale. Daniel was a year old at the time.

Ebenezer moved his family into the existing colonial home on the property in 1800, while Daniel was at Dartmouth. The family called it "The Elms," and after his parents and brother died, Daniel Webster maintained the property as a breeding farm, personal retreat, and political gathering place until his death in 1852. Daniel wrote to his son Fletcher in 1848, "this is the very sweetest spot in the world."

After the Civil War, the New Hampshire Orphans Home was established on the site to serve the children of soldiers killed in the conflict. From 1960 to 2000, the Sisters of Holy Cross owned the property, using the Orphans Home buildings as a retirement center and retreat facility.

Throughout its history and varied uses, Daniel Webster's Farm has remained a working farm. Its agricultural soils have been designated as some of the most productive farmland in the state. Protecting this property, which has over one mile of frontage along the Merrimack River, will help maintain water quality, protect native fish and wildlife habitats, and provide recreational opportunities. Its large and scenic open fields offer recreational opportunities for hiking, cross country skiing, birding, and other pedestrian uses; while a car top boat launch will provide access for canoeing and kayaking.

Preserving Historic Buildings for Future Generations

The buildings, clustered at the north end of the property and overlooking the broad expanse of farmland, comprise a stately campus that speaks volumes about the multifaceted communities that have lived, worked, studied and reflected on the human condition while at Daniel Webster's Farm. Ranging in date from the late eighteenth century through the early twentieth century, the buildings include Daniel Webster's home, designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1975, a school house, a chapel, dormitories and dining halls, an infirmary, and several farm houses. They stand facing each other across an alley of maple trees that lead to the Webster Place Cemetery.

The Campaign to Protect Daniel Webster's Farm has the goal of developing a master plan for the economically viable reuse of the buildings in a way that celebrates the rich and varied history of the site, creates the possibility for a vibrant community of compatible uses to develop and thrive in the surrounding farmland, connects the preserved buildings to the conserved land for future generations, and benefits local and regional economies.

The Threat is Real: The Time To Act is Now

Until recently, Daniel Webster's Farm was in the hands of a private developer who had plans for a residential subdivision. The Campaign to Protect Daniel Webster's Farm is an effort inspired by the dream of keeping this historic landscape intact permanently, by conserving the farmland; and finding economically viable re-uses of the historic buildings in harmony with their natural surroundings.

The Trust for Public Land and the Webster Farm Preservation Association, a citizens group, are leading the effort to make this inspired dream a reality. The first step is to raise the funds necessary to acquire and permanently conserve the land, stabilize the buildings, and create a redevelopment strategy. If enough funds can be raised, the Trust for Public Land will protect the farm by conveying a permanent conservation easement on the farmland to the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, and permanent Historic Preservation Easements on the appropriate buildings to the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance. The restricted farmland will be bought and maintained by the neighboring farmer. The built area will be held by an entity that can oversee the building restoration and transition it into new uses. Success of this Campaign will both ensure the protection of an historic site of state and national importance, and contribute to the vitality of the community around it.

Help Protect Daniel Webster's Farm

The Campaign to Protect Daniel Webster's Farm has a total goal of $2.5 million which includes the acquisition price, emergency stabilization of the buildings, conservation and preservation easements, and related project costs. To date, $1.6 million has been raised and includes major grants from New Hampshire's Land and Community Heritage Investment Program and the Federal Farm and Ranchland Protection Program Now the Trust for Public Land and its partners must raise $900,000 by October 2006 from private donations, foundations and other grant sources to complete this project.

To Learn More or To Make a Contribution

For more information about the Campaign to Protect Daniel Webster's Farm and how to contribute, please contact Gregg Caporossi at the Trust for Public Land, 603-224-0103, Gregg.Caporossi@tpl.org or Colin Cabot, 603-435-7314, colin@sanbornmills.org.

Updated 7/2006

Save Webster Farm Pledge Form

Map of Webster Farm