Westport Town Farm is a open space preserve and historic farm complex located in

Westport, Massachusetts Westport (Massachusett: ) is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 16,339 at the 2020 census. The village of North Westport lies in the town. Other named areas of the town are "Westport Point," which has a do ...

along the

bracken Bracken (''Pteridium'') is a genus of large, coarse ferns in the family Dennstaedtiaceae. Ferns (Pteridophyta) are vascular plants that have alternating generations, large plants that produce spores and small plants that produce sex cells (eggs ...

East Branch of the Westport River. The property, owned by the town of Westport and managed by the land conservation non-profit organization The Trustees of Reservations through contract since 2007, was once the town's

poor farm A poorhouse or workhouse is a government-run (usually by a county or municipality) facility to support and provide housing for the dependent or needy. Workhouses In England, Wales and Ireland (but not in Scotland), ‘workhouse’ has been th ...

and local

infirmary Infirmary may refer to: *Historically, a hospital, especially a small hospital *A first aid room in a school, prison, or other institution *A dispensary (an office that dispenses medications) *A clinic A clinic (or outpatient clinic or ambu ...

. The preserve includes hiking trails, working farmland,

salt marsh A salt marsh or saltmarsh, also known as a coastal salt marsh or a tidal marsh, is a coastal ecosystem in the upper coastal intertidal zone between land and open saltwater or brackish water that is regularly flooded by the tides. It is domin ...

frontage, an antique farmhouse, dairy barn, corn crib, and stone walls dating back to Colonial times. It is open to hiking, picnicking, cross country skiing, canoeing, and kayaking. The preserve trailhead is located on Drift Road in Westport.

References

External links

Westport Town Farm
The Trustees of Reservations
Trail mapWestport Town Farm Interim Management PlanOver the hill to the poor house: Revisiting the story of the Westport Poor Farm
Protected areas of Bristol County, Massachusetts The Trustees of Reservations Farms in Massachusetts Open space reserves of Massachusetts Buildings and structures in Bristol County, Massachusetts Tourist attractions in Bristol County, Massachusetts 2007 establishments in Massachusetts Protected areas established in 2007 {{BristolCountyMA-geo-stub