Appleton Farms 300th Anniversary - Signs of History on Waymarking.com

Originally established as a land grant to Samuel Appleton in 1638, Appleton Farms is one of the oldest continuously operating farms in the United States. It was owned and operated by nine generations of Appletons until 1998, when it was transferred to the current owner, The Trustees of Reservations. This Farm, now over 900 acres, is widely known, and has figured prominently in local economy, history, social life, and politics for over 350 years.

This plaque was installed on a large boulder in the Farm's "Great Pasture" in April, 1937. It is a memorial to Samuel Appleton to mark the upcoming 300th anniversary of the Farm on July 3, 1938. The inscription reads as follows:

In Memory Of
Samuel Appleton
1586 - The Emigrant - 1670
Of Holbrook Hall Little Waldingfield
Suffolk, England
He settled at IPSWICH in 1635 receiving in 1638
a grant from the town of this farm
"Meadow and upland as it lyeth bounded by the river
commonly called the Mile Brook on the northeast,
and by the great River on the northwest, on the west
in part by the lands of William Warner,
to enjoy all the said lands to him
his heirs and assigns
forever"

Please note that you must leave the established trails and enter the pasture to visit this waymark. To do so is both against Farms policy, and dangerous to your health (the bulls can be quite aggressive). Access to this waymark is limited to special events and/or tours, when escorted by the Farms' personnel, or by special permission.

In addition to this one, there are two more Historical Plaques at the Farms. They are the John Appleton house site, and the Briar Hill house site.

The memorial plaque site can be approached using well maintained trails from either of the two visitor parking areas: one on Highland Street just north of the Cutler Road intersection, and one at the corner of Waldingfield Road and Route 1A. Be sure to get a trail map, either from the web sites above, or at the parking area. There are many more waymarks on the Farms property. See the "Nearest Waymarks" link near the bottom of this page. There are also at least four geocaches. Enjoy the "Farms". Its a great place to visit.

Group that erected the marker: Appeton Family descendents. URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: [Web Link] Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary: 219 County Road Ipswich, MA USA 01938

Visit Instructions:
Take a picture of the marker, preferably including yourself or your GPSr in the photo. A very detailed description of your visit may be substituted for a photo. In any case please provide a description of your visit. A description of only "Visited" or "Saw it while on vacation" by anyone other than the person creating the waymark may be deleted by the waymark owner or the category officers.

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