Back River Farm facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Back River Farm
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | Bay View Rd., Dover, New Hampshire |
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| Area | 44.3 acres (17.9 ha) |
| Built | 1750 |
| NRHP reference No. | 84003236 |
| Added to NRHP | June 22, 1984 |
The Back River Farm, also known as the Samuel Emerson Farm, is a really old farm located on Bay View Road in Dover, New Hampshire. People have been farming this land near the Bellamy River since way back in 1696! It's super special because it's the only farm from that time period still standing in the area. This farm, including its old farmhouse from the mid-1700s, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. This means it's an important historical place worth protecting.
Exploring Back River Farm
The Back River Farm covers about 44 acres (18 ha) of land. It's bordered by Bay View Road to the north and the Bellamy River to the south. Most of this land is flat and used for pastures where animals might graze.
What Does the Farmhouse Look Like?
The main farmhouse stands on the south side of Bay View Road. Trees hide it a bit from the road. But if you look south, you get open views of the land. The house is made of wood and has two stories. It's five windows wide across the front. It also has a big chimney in the middle and a sloped roof at the back. This gives it a unique shape called a saltbox house.
Inside the house, you can see really old woodworking. Some parts show styles from the very first period of building in America. Other parts have an early Georgian style. This fancy woodwork was probably done by the second Samuel Emerson. He was known as a joiner, which means he was skilled at making wooden furniture and fittings.
A Look Back in Time at the Farm
The first Samuel Emerson bought about 30 acres (12 ha) of land here in 1696. He started farming right away. In the 1700s, this area had many farms like this one, called "salt water farms." They were near the coast or rivers. Today, Back River Farm is the only one left from that time.
Samuel Emerson was the brother of Hannah Duston. She became famous for her bravery and story after a difficult experience in 1697. The farm stayed in the Emerson family for five generations! Over time, it grew much larger, reaching about 130 acres (53 ha). The family finally sold the farm in 1876.
