Architecture Trail

Appleton Farms
Established in 1638 as a land grant to Samuel Appleton, Appleton Farms is one of the oldest continuously operating farms in the United States. Scenic views of rolling grasslands, grazing livestock, ancient stone walls, tree-lined carriage paths, and historic farm buildings are all part of the legacy of nine generations of Appleton family members, kept alive through the work of The Trustees of Reservations.

Today, The Trustees is continuing the farm's progressive agricultural traditions while at the same time preserving the property's landscape and farm buildings (including the cellar hole of the 1690 Patch House) and enhancing the ecological values of its woodlands, wetlands, and fields, such as the 133-acre Great Pasture which supports one of the largest populations of rare grassland birds in Massachusetts.

Operations include community-supported agriculture, a retail feed and mulch haying operation, and livestock and dairy programs that include White Park and Jersey cows.

Owned by: The Trustees of Reservations
Address: 219 County Road, Ipswich
Phone: 978-356-5728
Website: www.thetrustees.org/pages/249_appleton_farm.cfm
Hours: Year-round, sunrise to sunset
Admission: $3 for nonmembers