Farm's historic holdings going to seed
Man wants state to put $500,000 toward repairs
A Randolph man is trying to save two ancient buildings nestled close to Blue Hill.
The structures on historic Brookwood Farm -- a farmhouse and a barn, owned and managed by the state -- are in varying stages of disrepair.
David Hodgdon, 65, a founder and former executive director of the Friends of the Blue Hills, is trying to pressure the state Department of Conservation and Recreation, which has stewardship of the property, to fix up the structures. He has written letters to the agency seeking help and placed bills before the Legislature that would authorize $500,000 in repairs, without much effect so far. No action has been taken on the legislation.
He accused the state of neglecting the structures, which sit among 70 bucolic acres in Canton and Milton. The site seems light years away from Interstate 93, only a mile or so away. Tomato vines are heavy with vegetables in growing fields, a winding driveway is lined with craggy sugar maples, and small ponds, open fields, and woods dot the area.
"The crime is that this land was given to the state," said Hodgdon. "Seventy acres. Think what 70 acres is worth at the foot of the Blue Hills."
The state is sympathetic, but repair money is not imminent.
"We'd love to fix those buildings up," said Wendy Fox, spokeswoman for DCR. "But they aren't on the schedule yet. We're looking at fiscal 2009."
The red house appears to be in worse shape than the barn. The house, built about 1800, is careworn in the extreme. Mold, mildew, and plants have eaten away the wood and are growing on the roof. Gutters have fallen off. A basketball-sized hole allows rain a free trip in through the roof. A door in the back is wide open, an invitation to animals or mischief-makers. Rot has eaten away large sections of the back where the wall meets the roof.
At the very least, Hodgdon would like tarps to cover the roof to keep out the elements.
The barn, parts of which may date to the late 1600s, has had repair work done in recent years. Parts of the roofs were shingled, although a tarp hangs over holes in another, unrepaired roof. Some beams in the floor are obviously newer. Parts of the barn are used for storage.
In a previous letter to Hodgdon, DCR said the farmhouse and barn "are important historic structures in the Blue Hills that have suffered from over a decade of deferred maintenance," and called the buildings a "high priority" for preservation.
But the agency has a staggering list of responsibilities across the state, including more than 2,000 buildings; more than 450,000 acres of parkland, forests, and open space; 2,000 miles of trails, and 87 beaches.
The properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.
The land and buildings were formerly owned by Henry Saltonstall Howe, who used the land for sheep farming, said Hodgdon. Upon Howe's death several decades ago, the holdings were donated to the state. Hodgdon has a personal connection: he worked for Howe as a forester.
Judy Lieberman, who works on the property as the farm manager for Brookwood Community Farm, said her group would love to help the state restore the buildings. The nonprofit has a lease with the state to grow vegetables on two acres of the land. The buildings are not on its leased land.
"It would be great to see the house and barn restored," she said.
Matt Carroll can be reached at mcarroll@globe.com. 