Brook Farm facts for kids
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Brook Farm
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 Location in Greater Boston area
Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 670 Baker Street, Boston, Massachusetts |
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| Area | 188 acres (0.76 km2) |
| Built | 1841 |
| Architect | Brook Farm Community |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000141 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | July 23, 1965 |
Brook Farm was a special community in the United States during the 1840s. It was an experiment where people tried to live and work together. It was also known as the Brook Farm Institute of Agriculture and Education.
George Ripley, a former minister, and his wife Sophia Ripley started Brook Farm in 1841. It was located on the Ellis Farm in West Roxbury, Massachusetts, which is about nine miles from Boston. The community was inspired by transcendentalism. This was a way of thinking popular in New England. It focused on individual freedom and connecting with nature.
Brook Farm was set up as a company where people bought shares. This meant they would share the farm's profits. In return, everyone had to do an equal share of the work. The people at Brook Farm believed that by sharing tasks, they would have lots of free time. This time could be used for learning and thinking.
Life at Brook Farm was about balancing work and free time. Everyone worked together for the good of the community. Members could choose the work they liked best. Everyone, including women, was paid the same amount. The community made money from farming and selling handmade items. They also earned money from visitors who paid a fee. The main way they made money was from their school. Mrs. Ripley was in charge of the school. It had a preschool, a primary school, and a high school. Children from many countries came to learn there. Adults could also take classes.
The community never had enough money. They struggled to make a profit from farming. By 1844, Brook Farm changed its way of living. They started following ideas from Charles Fourier, a socialist thinker. They even published a newspaper called The Harbinger to share Fourier's ideas. They began building a huge building called the Phalanstery. This building was meant to house many people. But the building burned down, and it was not insured. This was a huge financial disaster for the community. Brook Farm never recovered and closed in 1847.
Even though the community failed, many members remembered their time there fondly. Some people criticized Brook Farm. One critic was Charles Lane, who started another community called Fruitlands. Nathaniel Hawthorne, a famous writer, was one of the first members of Brook Farm. However, he did not fully agree with its ideas. He later wrote a novel called The Blithedale Romance (1852) about his experiences.
After Brook Farm closed, a Lutheran group owned the property for over 130 years. They first used it as an orphanage. Later, it became a treatment center and school. Over the years, fires destroyed the original buildings. In 1988, the State of Massachusetts bought about 148 acres of the farm. Today, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation manages it as a historic site. Brook Farm was one of the first places in Massachusetts to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was also named a National Historic Landmark. In 1977, the Boston Landmarks Commission called Brook Farm a Boston Landmark. This is the highest honor for historic sites in the city.
Contents
What Was Brook Farm?
Planning the Community
In October 1840, George Ripley told a group called the Transcendental Club about his plan. He wanted to create a special community. He called it Brook Farm. It was based on the ideas of Transcendentalism. This philosophy believed that people could become better by connecting with nature and their own thoughts.
The founders of Brook Farm thought that by sharing work, they could support the community. They would also have time for reading and learning. They wanted their experiment to be an example for the world. They aimed for "work without drudgery" and "true equality." At Brook Farm, physical work was seen as good for the mind and body. Brook Farm was one of at least 80 similar communities in the U.S. in the 1840s. But it was the first one that was not based on a religion. Ripley believed his community would be a model for society. He said it would be "a light over this country and this age." As more people became interested, Ripley moved meetings to a bookshop. This shop was run by Elizabeth Palmer Peabody.
Starting Brook Farm
Ripley and his wife Sophia started a company in 1841. They had 10 other investors. They sold shares in the company for $500 each. Investors were promised 5% of the profits. They also got one vote in decisions. Some investors held director positions.
The Ripleys chose a dairy farm owned by Charles and Maria Mayo Ellis. It was in West Roxbury, Massachusetts. This was close to Theodore Parker's home. They started raising money. They held a meeting at Peabody's bookshop to raise $10,000. The farm was bought on October 11, 1841, for $10,500. But people started moving in as early as April. The farm was about 170 acres. It was described as a "place of great natural beauty." It was close to the city but also quiet. The purchase also included a nearby farm, about 22 acres.
The first big public announcement about the community came in August 1841. It was called "The Community at West Roxbury, Mass." Elizabeth Palmer Peabody likely wrote it. They started with 10 investors. Eventually, 32 people became Brook Farmers. Writer and editor Margaret Fuller visited Brook Farm often. She never officially joined. Ripley received many requests to join. Especially from people with little money or poor health. But only those who could afford a $500 share could become full members.
One of Brook Farm's founders was the author Nathaniel Hawthorne. Hawthorne did not really agree with the community's ideas. He hoped it would help him earn money. He wanted to start his life with his future wife, Sophia Peabody. She thought about moving there too. She even visited in May 1841. But Hawthorne sent her away. Ripley knew why Hawthorne was there. He tried to get him more involved. He made him one of four trustees. Hawthorne was in charge of "Direction of Finance." Hawthorne asked for his money back. He left Brook Farm on October 17, 1842. He wrote that he was unhappy there. He said, "my mind and heart were freer" even at his old job. He added, "Thank God, my soul is not utterly buried under a dung-heap."
New Ideas from Charles Fourier
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In the late 1830s, Ripley became interested in "Associationism." This was an early socialist movement. It was based on the ideas of Charles Fourier. Horace Greeley, a newspaper editor, encouraged Brook Farm to follow Fourier's plan. This happened when the community was struggling to support itself. Albert Brisbane, whose book inspired Ripley, paid Greeley. He got permission to publish a column in the New York Tribune. It ran from March 1842 to September 1843. Brisbane argued that Fourier's ideas could work in the United States. He published similar articles in 1842 in The Dial. This was the journal of the Transcendentalists. Fourier's ideas for an ideal community included detailed plans. These plans involved specific buildings and organized roles for members. He called his system a "Phalanx."
To follow this new vision, Brook Farm changed its name. It became the "Brook Farm Association for Industry and Education." They started building a huge shared building. It was called the Phalanstery. Construction began in the summer of 1844. The building would house 14 families and single people. It was planned to be 175 feet long and 40 feet wide. Ripley wrote that it would have "a large and convenient kitchen." It would also have a dining hall for "three to four hundred persons." There would be two public rooms and a large lecture hall.
Ripley and two friends created a new set of rules for Brook Farm in 1844. This was the start of their attempt to follow Fourier's Phalanx system. Many Brook Farmers supported this change. At a dinner celebrating Fourier's birthday, one member toasted "Fourier, the second coming of Christ." Others were not so excited. Some even left the community. One person who left was Isaac Hecker. He became a Catholic priest. He later founded the first American order of priests. Many Brook Farmers thought the new model was too strict. It was too different from the free and easy life they had enjoyed. Both supporters and critics called the early days of Brook Farm the "Transcendental days." Ripley himself became famous for supporting Fourierism. He organized meetings across New England to talk about the community.
In late 1844, Brook Farmers had a chance to take over two publications. These were Brisbane's The Phalanx and John Allen's The Social Reformer. Four printers were part of Brook Farm at the time. Members believed this would make them leaders of the movement. It would also bring in more money. The Brook Farmers decided to publish a new journal. It combined the two old ones. They called it The Harbinger. The first issue came out on June 14, 1845. It was printed weekly until October 1847. Then it moved to New York City. Ripley and fellow Brook Farmer Charles Anderson Dana still oversaw it. Naming the publication was hard. Parke Godwin gave advice when keeping the name The Phalanx was suggested:
Call it the Pilot, the Harbinger, the Halycon, the Harmonist, The Worker, the Architect, The Zodiac, The Pleiad, the Iris, the Examiner, The Aurora, the Crown, the Imperial, the Independent, the Synthesist, the Light, the Truth, the Hope, the Teacher, the Reconciler, the Wedge, the Pirate, the Seer, the Indicator, the Tailor, the Babe in the Manger, the Universe, the Apocalypse, the Red Dragon, the Plant, Beelzebub—the Devil or anything rather than the meaningless name Phalanx.
Decline and End of Brook Farm
Brook Farm started to decline quickly after its changes. In October 1844, Orestes Brownson visited. He felt that "the atmosphere of the place is horrible." To save money, they had to make sacrifices. Especially at dinner. Meat, coffee, tea, and butter were no longer served. But in December 1844, they agreed to allow a separate table with meat. That Thanksgiving, a neighbor gave them a turkey. Many Brook Farmers asked for exceptions to these rules. Soon, it was agreed that "members... who sit at the meat table shall be charged extra."
Life at Brook Farm got worse in November 1845. There was an outbreak of smallpox. No one died, but 26 Brook Farmers got sick. Ripley tried to fix the money problems. He talked with people they owed money to. They agreed to cancel $7,000 of debt.
Building the Phalanstery was going well. But on March 3, 1846, it caught fire. Within two hours, the building was completely burned down. Firefighters from Boston arrived too late. The fire was probably caused by a bad chimney. One person said, "the flames were chasing one another in a mad riot." The loss of the uninsured building cost $7,000. This marked the beginning of the end for Brook Farm.
Ripley, who started the experiment, unofficially left Brook Farm in May 1846. Many others started to leave too. But the farm closed slowly. One Brook Farmer said it was like apple petals falling slowly. It seemed "dreamy and unreal." On November 5, 1846, Ripley's book collection was sold. These books had been Brook Farm's library. The money helped pay off the community's debts. In the end, Brook Farm owed $17,445. Ripley told a friend, "I can now understand how a man would feel if he could attend his own funeral." He got a job with the New York Tribune. It took him 13 years to pay back Brook Farm's debt. He finished in 1862.
After Brook Farm Closed
A man named John Plummer bought the land in 1849. Six years later, he sold it to James Freeman Clarke. Clarke wanted to start another community there. Instead, he offered it to President Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War. The 2nd Massachusetts Infantry Regiment used it for training. They called it Camp Andrew.
Clarke sold the property in 1868 to two brothers. They used it as a summer boarding house. In 1870, Gottlieb F. Burckhardt bought the property. He then formed a Lutheran church group. They opened an orphanage in the main house, called The Hive. The orphanage opened in 1872 and ran until 1943. In 1948, the Lutherans turned it into a treatment center and school. This closed in 1977. Parts of the farm were separated in 1873. They were used as a cemetery. This continues today as the Gardens of Gethsemene. It is part of St. Joseph's Cemetery and the Baker Street Jewish Cemeteries. During the time the Lutherans owned the land, the only building still standing today was built. It is a print shop from around 1890. The original buildings from the Transcendentalists, like the Margaret Fuller Cottage, had burned down by the 1980s.
In 1988, the Metropolitan District Commission bought 148 acres of the original land. This commission later joined with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). Brook Farm was named a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1965. It became a Boston Landmark in 1977. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The DCR now manages the state-owned part as a historic site. The West Roxbury Historical Society sometimes offers tours.
The Farm's Layout and Buildings
Brook Farm was named after a small stream. This stream ran near the road and flowed into the Charles River. The farm was surrounded by low hills. It had meadows and sunny slopes. There were also orchards, quiet groves, and thick pine woods. But the land was actually hard to farm.
The land bought with the Ellis farm included a working farmhouse. Brook Farmers called this "The Hive." The Hive became the center for social events. Community members ate three meals a day there. The Hive's dining room could hold 50 people. Its library had Ripley's personal book collection. All members could use these books.
As the community grew, they needed more buildings. These were for living and activities. The first building built was "The Nest." School lessons took place there. Guests of the farm also stayed there. Mr. and Mrs. Ripley's house, later called the Eyrie, was built in the second year. The next building was the Margaret Fuller Cottage. Even though it was named after Fuller, she never slept there. A Brook Farm member named Ichabod Morton built the Pilgrim House. It was named after his hometown, Plymouth, Massachusetts. This 2.5-story building was the third one built that year. It cost almost $5,000. Morton stayed there for only two weeks before moving out. After that, the building was used for general housing. It also had laundry facilities. The many new buildings, including greenhouses and small craft shops, quickly used up their money.
Life at Brook Farm
Work and Money
People at Brook Farm were also shareholders. They were promised 5% of the yearly profits. Or they could get free school tuition for one student. If they worked 300 days a year, they got free room and board. Members chose the work they liked best. Everyone, including women, was paid the same. Ripley's idea about work was "to ensure a more natural union between thinking and manual labor." He wanted to combine the thinker and the worker in the same person.
How work was organized at Brook Farm changed over time. This was because of money problems and new ideas. At first, members chose their work based on what they liked. This was called "attractive industry." But there was no one in charge to make sure important tasks got done. After a while, some felt that not everyone was doing their fair share. So, in 1841, they set work rules. Ten hours of work were needed per day in summer. Eight hours were needed in winter.
When Brook Farm started following Fourier's ideas, work became more organized. They had three main types of industry: agriculture (farming), mechanical (making things), and domestic (household tasks). Each type had smaller groups for specific jobs. Each group had a leader who kept track of the work. This system created a new work structure. But members could still move between groups easily. These new rules helped Brook Farm make a profit in 1844. This was something they had not done in their first few years.
Typical jobs at Brook Farm included chopping wood. They also brought in firewood, milked cows, and turned a grindstone. Other farm chores were common. But not everyone was a farmer. Some worked in trades, like making shoes. Others were teachers. No matter the job, everyone was seen as equal. Because jobs were spread out, as Elizabeth Peabody wrote, "no one has any great weight in any one thing." For their work, members received "guarantees." These included "medical attendance, nursing, education... and amusements." There were some small disagreements between workers. This was partly because educators thought they were more important. But overall, as historian Charles Crowe wrote, "all aspects of communal life operated with surprisingly little friction."
Many people visited Brook Farm. About 1,150 visitors came each year. Each visitor was charged a fee. Records show that between November 1844 and October 1845, $425 was collected from visitors. Famous visitors included theologian Henry James, Sr., sculptor William Wetmore Story, artist John Sartain, and social reformer Robert Owen.
Even with different ways of making money, the community was always in debt. This started almost right away. The community, including Ripley, had trouble with farming. This was because of poor soil and not enough workers. Their main crop was hay, which sold for low prices. They did not produce enough vegetables, milk, or fruit to make a profit. The property was mortgaged four times between 1841 and 1845. Brook Farm often spent money before they had it. One member wrote, "I think here lies the difficulty,—we have not had business men to conduct our affairs."
Education at Brook Farm
On September 29, 1841, the "Brook Farm Institute of Agriculture and Education" was officially started. The school was the main source of income for Brook Farm. Sometimes, it was their only income. Students came from far away, even from Cuba and the Philippines. Children under 12 were charged $3.50 per week. At first, boys over 12 were charged $4 a week and girls $5. By August 1842, the prices were the same for everyone. Adults could also take classes in the evenings. Adult classes included moral philosophy, German, and modern European history.
The school had three parts. There was an infant school for children under six. A primary school was for children under ten. And a preparatory school got children ready for college in six years. When a student entered the school, if they were under high-school age, a woman from the community was assigned to them. This woman was in charge of their clothes, personal habits, and exercise.
The teachers included three graduates of Harvard Divinity School. These were George Ripley, George Partridge Bradford, and John Sullivan Dwight. Several women also taught. These included Ripley's wife Sophia, his sister Marianne, and his cousin Hannah. Also Georgianna Bruce and Abby Morton. Ripley taught English. He was known to be relaxed in his class. Dana taught languages and spoke ten himself. Dwight taught music and Latin. Students learned European languages and literature. They could also study fine arts at no extra cost. The primary school was overseen by Sophia and Marianne Ripley. They used a modern teaching style that focused on the child. This has been compared to John Dewey's later ideas. Many people noted Sophia Ripley's dedication to the school. She missed only two classes in six years.
Free Time and Fun
The people of Brook Farm spent most of their time studying or working. But they always made time for fun. In their free time, they enjoyed music, dancing, and card games. They also had plays, costume parties, sledding, and skating. Every week, the community gathered at The Hive for a dance. The young ladies of the community danced. They wore wreaths of wild daisies on their heads. Each week, a special wreath was bought from a florist. It was given to the best-dressed girl. At the end of each day, many performed a "symbol of Universal Unity." They stood in a circle and held hands. They promised "truth to the cause of God and Humanity."
Spirits stayed high throughout the experiment. This was true no matter how much money the community had. The way the community was set up required people to be selfless. People rarely failed to do their duties. This was needed to earn free time. Free time was important to Brook Farm's ideas. As Elizabeth Palmer Peabody wrote in The Dial in January 1842, "none will be engaged merely in bodily labor." She added, "This community aims to be rich, not in the metallic representative of wealth, but in... leisure to live in all the faculties of the soul."
Women's Roles
At Brook Farm, women could do more than their usual tasks. Their work was highly valued. They did do typical women's jobs, like preparing food and sharing housework. But during harvest time, women were allowed to work in the fields. Men even helped with laundry when it was cold. No single religion forced its beliefs on the community. So, women were safe from the usual male control often linked with religion at that time. Because the community focused on individual freedom, women were independent from their husbands. They were allowed to become stockholders.
Women also played an important role in earning money. Many spent time making "elegant and tasteful caps, capes, collars, undersleeves, etc." These were sold in Boston shops. This is according to Brook Farmer Marianne Dwight. Others painted screens and lampshades to sell. Women were allowed to go to school. Many female writers and performers visited Brook Farm. This was because of the well-known education for women there. Sophia Ripley had written a strong feminist essay called "Woman" for The Dial. This was before she moved to Brook Farm. She was very educated. She taught history and foreign languages at the farm.
Brook Farm in Stories
Even though he was a founding member, Hawthorne was unhappy at Brook Farm. This was partly because he could not write while living there. "I have no quiet at all," he complained. His hands were covered "with a new crop of blisters—the effect of raking hay." He wrote about his experience in his 1852 novel The Blithedale Romance. He admitted the similarity in his introduction. He said that "in the 'Blithedale' of this volume, many readers will probably suspect a faint... shadowing of Brook Farm." He noted it was "occupied and cultivated by a company of socialists."
For example, the chapter called "The Masqueraders" was based on a picnic. This picnic was held in September to celebrate the harvest. George Ripley reviewed the book for the New York Tribune. He said that former Brook Farmers would only notice the similarity in the funny parts of the story. Some people also see a likeness between Margaret Fuller and Hawthorne's character Zenobia. In the novel, a visitor, who is a writer like Hawthorne, finds that hard farm work does not help with creative thinking. In his introduction, Hawthorne insisted that his experience at Brook Farm influenced his idea of a perfect community. But he said the characters in his novel did not represent any specific Brook Farmers.
Images for kids
See also
In Spanish: Brook Farm para niños
