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Greenwood Farm [4]
Detail Map (50k)
Area Map (60k)
Location: In Ipswich on Jeffrey’s Neck Road, .8 of a mile from the Ipswich Town Wharf.
Parking: On the property.
Permitted: Walking. Dogs are permitted but must be leashed.
Hours: Dawn to dusk.
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History
This is an extraordinary piece of property that was originally a part of a land grant from the Town of Ipswich to Robert Paine in the late 1600s. He is considered the first occupant and the builder of the Paine House (circa 1702), a fine example of First Period architecture.
In the mid 1800s, the property passed to Thomas Greenwood, who built the farmhouse adjacent to the Paine House. In 1916, the property was purchased by Robert Dodge. He and his family summered there for many years and through the vision and generosity of the Dodge family, in 1993 Greenwood Farm Reservation was established by The Trustees of Reservations.
The Paine House which has undergone critical structural repairs and should be ready to be opened to the public in the summer of 1999 will be preserved as a museum. The most prominent feature of the property is its location at the edge of the salt marsh. The path crosses three drumlins connected by bridges. It is only passable at low tide and is temporarily closed due to erosion.
When the boardwalks are completed, it will again be possible to walk out through the marsh to the Ipswich River. In the meantime, the property is a lovely spot to visit. A brochure with a wealth of information about the flora and fauna and history is available from The Trustees of Reservations.
