The Hildreth Property

The Sherborn Rural Land Foundations first acquisition was in 1983. The foundation was fortunate in finding a willing seller in the Hildreth family. In the years preceding this acquisition, the town had been successful in acquiring portions of the Hildreth farm but, with the advent of tax caps in the early 1980's, was no longer in a position to spend money for Conservation purposes. The Hildreth's, through a bargain sale, transferred ownership of their remaining 68 acres, including their home and barn, to the foundation. This property is located on Pleasant Street and Western Avenue. In return, we provided a life tenancy to Harold Hildreth. After the Hildreths moved from the property, the foundation sold the house, barn and six acres to a Sherborn resident. The six-acre parcel has a deed restriction preventing it from being further subdivided. The proceeds from the sale paid off the existing bank loan and the Foundation retained the balance of the property. A subsequent sale of some adjacent land to the new property owner provided additional seed money for other prospective acquisitions. The property remains intact today with deed restrictions on the eighteen acres privately held and the remaining fifty acres owned by the Foundation. A trail easement provides pedestrian access to adjoining conservation land. This remarkable transaction is an example of how creative land acquisition transactions can benefit the entire community.

History

William Leland, a farmer and gunsmith, built the house at 46 Pleasant Street in 1844 and occupied it until his death around 1888. Mr. Leland kept horses, cows, oxen and pigs, as well as a one-acre orchard on his 80 acres. He also worked as a gunsmith and was taxed for a gun shop worth $50 in 1865. Other outbuildings taxed in 1865 were his barn, probably the current building, and two storehouses. A third storehouse was added around 1870 and a hen house around 1890. Mr. Leland's daughter, Amy Leland Fleming assumed ownership of the property in approximately 1890 and operated the farm until about 1930 when Mrs. Fleming's grandson Harold Hildreth became the proprietor. A building labeled "shop" that may be the gun shop continues to appear in tax valuations until after 1945. Mr. Hildreth farmed the land until the 1970s and sold it to the Sherborn rural Land Foundation, ca. 1986. Some sheds and a milk room were demolished since 1986.

Land around the houses was used in 1939 as pasture on both sides of the road. Orchards were located south of the Leland house at the sharp bend in the road and continue to grow there. Hay was cultivated east of Pleasant Street opposite the Twitchell House and north of the Leland House. Both dairy and poultry products were raised on these farms according to the 1939 WPA maps. The area continues to embody the agricultural character established in the 18th century as well as aspects of leisure agricultural properties seen in the Farm Road Estate Area and at 190 Maple Street.

(Courtesy of the Sherborn Historical Commission)