About the Historic Metcalf-Franklin Farm
The Historic Metcalf-Franklin Farm was the last working and complete dairy farm in Cumberland, RI. Its agriculture and architecture demonstrate the developmental history of Abbott Run Valley from the early 1800s to the early 2000s. In 1994 and 2005, the Town of Cumberland purchased the intact 65 acres farm. With the help from the HMFFPA, preservation and restoration is on going.
For over 214 years, this land has been farmed..... The farm has had only two family owners, the Metcalfs and the Franklins . The Metcalf family is one of the oldest families of New England arriving in 1637 to escape religious persecution. In 1776, Liberty Metcalf was born in Cumberland, RI and purchased the farm land, in its entirety in 1809 from his father, Ebeneezor Metcalf. He and his family were subsistence farmers. In 1857, William Franklin purchased and began diversifying the farm by expanding the barn, building a home along Abbott Run Valley Road and maintaining dairy cows. The Franklin's farmed the land for over 165 years, until the grandson of William Franklin, William "Rhodey" Franklin's, passing in 2005.
The historical significance of this property can not be overlooked. "The intact fields and meadows, buildings and structures, stone walls, barnyard and house yard, that compose Franklin Farm, have a remarkable degree of integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association."
Additional historical information about this pristine, intact farm can be found on on the National Register of Historic Places.
National Register of Historic Places- The Historic Metcalf Franklin Farm
The Historic Metcalf-Franklin Farm Preservation Association is an all volunteer, 501c3 organization.
Mission
To restore, preserve, and protect the 18th- and 19th- centuries old
Metcalf-Franklin Homestead and its agricultural heritage through charitable,
educational, and community engagement-related activities.
Vision
The Historic Metcalf-Franklin Farm - the farm house, barn complex, and
surrounding 65 acres of open space - will be preserved as a
community-based resource for future generations.
Values
Experiencing the Farm’s agricultural heritage through community
involvement allows for greater environmental stewardship and increased
appreciation for natural resources and the food cycle.
Please visit our
About Us Page
to learn more and see how you can get involved!
Franklin Farm a part of PBS OUR TOWN CUMBERLAND
October 2021
"Neighbors and friends of Cumberland, Rhode Island share the local legends, history, and memoirs of the local community. Stories include Cadillac Mills, the Arnold Mills Parade, Blackstone River, Phantom Farms, Franklin Farm, Geddes Family Farm, Diamond Hill boxing legends, Equi Evolution, the Valley Breeze, Lt. Robert Waugh, Ski Valley, the Cumberland Land Trust, and the Cumberland Public Library." PBS.ORG
mailing address:
The Historic Metcalf-Franklin Farm Preservation Association (HMFFPA)
ATTN: President Robert Mudge
P.O. Box 7943
Cumberland, RI 02864
email:
website:
