Emery Farm (Stratham, New Hampshire) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Emery Farm
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | 16 Emery Ln., Stratham, New Hampshire |
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| Built | 1740 |
| Architectural style | Georgian, Federal, Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 100001621 |
| Added to NRHP | September 18, 2017 |
Emery Farm is a very old and important farm in Stratham, New Hampshire. Its main farmhouse was built around 1740, making it a great example of architecture from that time. The farm is special because it was one of the first places in New Hampshire to become a "market garden" farm. This means they grew fruits and vegetables to sell to people.
John Emery started this type of farming here in 1855. Because of its long history and unique farming methods, Emery Farm was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2017.
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What Makes Emery Farm Special?
Emery Farm is found in the middle of Stratham, on Emery Lane. This lane used to be a main road. The farm has a big house and a large barn.
The Historic Farmhouse
The farmhouse is a large, two-and-a-half-story building made of wood. It has a pointed roof and a chimney made of bricks right in the middle. The outside of the house is covered with wooden boards. The windows have simple frames. The front door is in the center and has fancy pillars and a decorative top.
Inside, the house has a common design for its time. There's a small entryway with a winding staircase. On each side of the chimney, you'll find living rooms. A two-story addition stretches out from the back of the house.
The Old Barn
The barn is also very big and was built in the 1800s. It has a special storage area for corn. Inside, there were places for animals. There was even a space where farm workers used to live.
The Story of Emery Farm
The main part of the farmhouse was built around 1740. In its early days, it was known as Chase's Tavern. This tavern was a popular meeting spot. People would gather there for community events and business.
From Tavern to Farm
The Emery family later bought the property. They made the house bigger so that many generations of their family could live there.
John Emery's Big Idea
In 1855, a man named John Emery started a new way of farming. He began growing vegetables to sell for money. He would sell these fresh crops directly to people, going door-to-door. He traveled to towns like Dover and Portsmouth.
This is thought to be the very first time "market garden" farming was done in New Hampshire. This idea became very popular. Soon, many other farms in Stratham started doing the same thing. John Emery is also famous for bringing fresh strawberries to Portsmouth. Before him, strawberries were very hard to find there!
John Emery's son, John Fred Emery, continued this market garden farming for many years.
