Case Estates facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Case Estates |
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General view of the Case Estates
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| Type | Botanical Garden |
| Location | Weston, Massachusetts |
The Case Estates is a beautiful botanical garden located in Weston, Massachusetts. It covers about 65 acres (which is like 49 football fields!). This special place used to be a plant nursery for the famous Arnold Arboretum.
Today, the Case Estates is a quiet nature spot. It has lovely gardens and many rare plants. Most of the area is a green forest with nice walking trails. It's a great place to explore nature and see different kinds of plants.
Contents
A Look Back: The History of Case Estates
The story of Case Estates began a long time ago, in 1863. That's when James Case first bought the main part of the land.
Marian Roby Case's Vision
Later, James Case's daughter, Miss Marian Roby Case, took over. Starting in 1909, she bought more land around the property. She created a place called Hillcrest Farms.
Miss Case ran Hillcrest Farms from 1909 to 1942. Her goal was to learn more about farming in a scientific way. She also wanted to give young people in the area summer jobs and practical education. They learned about growing fruits and vegetables.
In 1942, Miss Case left the entire estate to Harvard University's Arnold Arboretum. The Arboretum later sold most of the houses on the property. The big house where the Case family lived is now used as offices for the Weston schools.
What You Can See Today
The Case Estates is a wonderful place to visit. It's like a peaceful nature reserve with lots to discover.
Evergreen Forests and Trails
Most of the land is a natural evergreen forest. This means it's full of trees that stay green all year round. There are many pleasant trails where you can walk and enjoy the quiet outdoors. It's a perfect spot for a nature walk or a peaceful stroll.
The Rhododendron Garden
One of the highlights is a fantastic rhododendron display garden. Rhododendrons are beautiful flowering shrubs. This garden is taken care of by the Massachusetts Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society. When these plants bloom, the garden is filled with amazing colors!
The Remarkable Stone Wall
The Case Estates also has a very interesting stone wall. Miss Case gave this wall as a birthday present to her sister Louisa in 1911. It's not just any wall!
How Big is the Wall?
This stone wall is about 10 feet (3 meters) high. It can be up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) thick, and it stretches for about 200 feet (61 meters) long. People have said it might be the largest or longest free-standing dry stone wall in all of New England. That means it was built without any cement or mortar to hold the stones together!
The Town Buys the Estates
In 2006, Harvard University decided to sell the Case Estates. The people of Weston wanted to keep this special place for their town.
A Big Decision for Weston
On November 8, 2006, the town of Weston held a special meeting. They voted to buy the estate for $22.5 million. The town leaders hoped to sell off some smaller parts of the land to help pay for it.
Overcoming Challenges
There were some challenges before the sale could be completed. They found some old contaminants from when the land was an apple orchard around 1900. It took some time to agree on how to clean up the land.
Finally, in March 2015, the Arnold Arboretum and the Town of Weston reached an agreement. This allowed the sale of the Case Estates to the town to go through. Now, the town of Weston owns and protects this beautiful botanical garden for everyone to enjoy.
