Photo Update: Human History of Willow Brook Farm

Andrew and Ann Dee Pelley (left) met with Skip Stuck (right) to share historical photos and other documents connected to the Willow Brook Farm property.

By Skip Stuck, Key Volunteer

Over the last year, I have completed nine "human histories" of Wildlands Trust's preserves and the communities that surround them. With each one, I am reminded of the near-impossibility of creating a truly accurate and clear-cut account of past people and events. History is always "in the eye of the beholder." History from the perspective of Native Americans will often be at odds with that of colonists. Farmers, academics, industrialists, religious leaders, the wealthy, the poor, the young, and the old will view the same events in different ways, colored by their cultures, experiences, hopes, and biases. "Accurate" history is a laudable, yet usually unreachable, goal. 

Pictures can bring us closer to that goal. While I've discovered many written narratives on local human history, pictures, paintings, maps, and illustrations have been much harder to find. That is why I was excited a few weeks ago when the Trust was contacted by Willow Brook Farm neighbors Ann Dee and Andrew Pelley, who wanted to share some historical photos of Wildlands’ Pembroke preserve. They saw the history that we published last April and its request for more information, especially pictures. After some intensive research at the Pembroke Historical Society, Ann Dee and Andrew visited us at our Plymouth headquarters, accompanied by some amazing pictures and documents.  

Before you read further, I encourage you to revisit the original April 2024 entry of “Human History of Wildlands: Willow Brook Farm.” Click here.

Barker & Pleasant Street Houses

The Barker House was built sometime between 1783 and 1810 and burned down in 1915. Photo courtesy of the Pembroke Historical Society.

The Pleasant Street House was built in 1777 by Israel Turner. Photo courtesy of the Pembroke Historical Society.

In 1877, the Pleasant Street house was moved to Barker Street on the Willow Brook Farm property, where it remains today. It is said that it took a team of oxen six weeks to move the house. Photo from 1979, courtesy of the Pembroke Historical Society.

Above are two of the earliest dwellings on the property. The Barker house, owned by Benjamin Barker and his family, burned down in 1915. 

The property continued in Barker and relatives’ hands until 1914, when it was purchased by William Hurley. Hurley established the Willow Brook Dairy Farm, which became renowned for the quality of its Guernsey cattle.

“1st prize Breeder’s Herd | Springfield, October, 1917.” Photo courtesy of the Pembroke Historical Society.

“IMP, Cherry’s Memento, No. 27562 | 1st Prize and Grand Champion, Brockton and Springfield | October, 1917.” Photo courtesy of the Pembroke Historical Society.

Until the early 1950s, the farm thrived, adding a large barn, milking station, and many acres of pasture. 

William Hurley, owner of Hurley Shoe Company in Rockland, purchased the land in 1914. Thereafter, he built this dairy barn in the middle of the property. Photo courtesy of the Pembroke Historical Society.

Willow Brook Farm milking station. Photo courtesy of the Pembroke Historical Society.

Today, many reminders of that time remain, including the foundation of the milking station, numerous stone walls, falling fence posts, and open pastures, maintained as part of Wildlands Trust's commitment to preserving Willow Brook Farm’s agricultural history. 

We want to thank Ann Dee and Andrew Pelley for providing us with a richer understanding of the human history of Willow Brook Farm through their pictures. 

For others who have information of any kind that can help us refine our understanding of the human history of Wildlands, please contact Communications Coordinator Thomas Patti at tpatti@wildlandstrust.org or 774-343-5121 ext. 108. We may feature your insight in future “Human History” editions. 

And finally, please visit our online property description and trail map of Willow Brook Farm and explore its trails in person. 

Trail Updates: Willow Brook Farm & Beyond

Harry and Mary Todd Trail at Willow Brook Farm in Pembroke. Photo by Rob MacDonald.

It’s been almost a year since we started our revitalization project at Willow Brook Farm in Pembroke. Thanks to your support of our summer fundraising campaign, we’ve already made major strides toward our goal of keeping Willow Brook healthy and safe for future generations of people and wildlife. While there’s much left to do, we wanted to keep you apprised of the latest on our efforts.

In early February, Wildlands staff and volunteers spent a VolunTuesday completing the replacement of the first boardwalk on the Harry and Mary Todd Trail. That means, after a couple months out of service, the Todd Trail is back open! The trail will close again at some point in the spring so our stewardship team can repair the second boardwalk. So enjoy it while you can!

Earlier this winter, we also cleared a new trail along the perimeter of Willow Brook’s central field. Known as the Pasture Loop, the path affords visitors a close-up view of the freshly restored stone wall, and a glimpse into the preserve’s agricultural past. Learn more about the human history of Willow Brook Farm here.

Pasture Loop at Willow Brook Farm in Pembroke. Photo by Rob MacDonald.

If it’s been a while since you’ve visited Willow Brook Farm, you’ll notice an even more dramatic change to the landscape, with trees and other vegetation cleared back from much of the entrance trail and field. That’s because Wildlands has embarked on an ambitious restoration of the preserve’s grassland habitat.

True to its name, Willow Brook Farm was an agricultural site for over 300 years. Diverse wildlife made itself home in the grasslands spanning most of the property. Since then, forests have reclaimed much of the land, save for the central field that Wildlands mows annually to preserve this critical habitat. Unfortunately, invasive plants and woody growth continue to encroach on the field from the forest edges, threatening the grassland’s suitability for native birds, insects, and other wildlife. Removing this aggressive vegetation is the first step to restoring the field’s beauty and diversity.

Grassland restoration is a multi-year process, so we appreciate your patience.

Willow Brook Farm in Pembroke. Photo by Rob MacDonald.

Up next at Willow Brook Farm: refurbishing the parking lot, improving trail signage, and building covered picnic tables. Stay tuned!

In other trails news:

Thanks to our VolunTuesday crew, a new trail at Emery Preserve in Plymouth offers visitors a more varied route to the iconic Beech Tree Clearing. The trail is now a loop, connecting to existing trails on the other side of Ship Pond Road.

See the green loop in the southeast corner of this trail map:

Davis-Douglas Conservation Area trail map. Click the map to download a PDF version.

At Sylvester Field Conservation Area in Hanover, the boardwalk on the southeast portion of the trail loop is closed for the winter as Wildlands staff works to lower its incline. The rest of the trail remains open.

See you on the trails!

Wildlands Raises Over $71,000 for Willow Brook Farm

By Thomas Patti, Communications Coordinator

When natural lands come under threat of development, degradation, or disrepair, their futures depend on the support of their community—the people who walk their trails, gaze upon their landscapes and wildlife, and breathe their purified air.  

Time and time again, communities across Southeastern Massachusetts have “walked the walk” when their beloved natural sanctuaries need human resources to withstand human pressures. This summer, the region received its latest test—and passed with flying colors. Thanks to an outpouring of community support, Wildlands Trust raised nearly $72,000 to upgrade Willow Brook Farm in Pembroke, far surpassing our campaign goal. 

“Wildlands Trust was able to protect Willow Brook Farm in 1997, thanks to a generous gift from South Shore philanthropists Herb and Paulie Emilson,” said Wildlands President Karen Grey. “However, infrastructure and amenities that were built in 1997 had reached life expectancy, and upgrades were required to ensure public safety.”  

Old farm path at the entrance of Willow Brook Farm. Photo by Rob MacDonald.

Few places anywhere pack the same wealth of cultural and natural resources into a suburban setting as Willow Brook Farm. Comprising 167 wild acres just 30 miles south of Boston, Willow Brook Farm epitomizes the globally rare ecological diversity of the Herring Brook Valley. Each year, over 20,000 people explore Willow Brook’s field, forest, and wetland habitats to learn about the human and natural communities that have come and gone from the region.  

After 27 years serving the people and wildlife of Southeastern Massachusetts, Willow Brook Farm needs upgrades to bolster its safety and value for future generations. Improvements include replacing extensive boardwalks and bog boards, removing invasive plants, repairing the parking lot, improving trail signage, and building covered picnic tables. Our estimated cost, and consequent fundraising goal, was $60,000.

This figure was lofty, but the generosity of an anonymous donor put our goal within reach. The donor agreed to provide twice the amount of every donation under $500 and match all others, up to $40,000.  

Mango poses beside her sign on the “Dogs of Willow Brook” story walk. Photo by Jennifer Love.

Wildlands wasted no time seizing this remarkable opportunity, with fundraising efforts including: 

• Dog Day: On May 11, 14 canine conservationists converged on Willow Brook Farm to lend a paw to our campaign. Photographer Drew Lederman snapped adorable shots of the dogs and their owners, with all proceeds going to our project. We then used the photos to create a story walk along the entrance trail, encouraging passersby to donate in honor of “The Dogs of Willow Brook.” 

• Kayak raffle: We raffled off a Current Designs Solara 100 kayak, generously donated by Billington Sea Kayak and the Friends of IndieFerm. Congratulations to Bob and Donna for taking home the grand prize! 

• Shaw’s Give Back Where It Counts Reusable Bag Program: Throughout August, Shaw’s Hanson donated $1 to our Willow Brook Farm campaign for every reusable bag sold. 

• Women’s Woodworking Workshop: On September 14, Wildlands' Stewardship Programs Manager Zoë Smiarowski and volunteer Lenna Matthews co-led a carpentry training, organized specifically for women and non-binary individuals. Participants built planter boxes out of recycled wood from Willow Brook Farm boardwalks, with all proceeds going to our campaign. 

We also received considerable donations in honor of our beloved “Trail Guy,” Malcolm MacGregor, who passed away in May. His memory continues to advance conservation across the region. 

Congratulations to Bob and Donna for winning our kayak raffle, which raised funds for Willow Brook Farm.

All the while, our stewardship staff and volunteers have been hard at work, making remarkable progress on many of the proposed upgrades. For a week in August, our project received an extra boost when 23 volunteers from across the country and world (as far as Germany!) joined us at Willow Brook Farm as part of a Sierra Club “volunteer vacation.” 

In total, we received 151 donations from the public, with 94 percent falling under $500—a testament to the diverse community support for Willow Brook Farm. Accordingly, donors had many reasons for giving: 

• “I grew up taking walks in Willow Brook Farm. I am donating so that my daughter and future generations will be able to do the same!” - Katrina D.   

• “Love Willow Brook! That park kept me sane during the pandemic.” - Kelly P. 

• “As an Environmental Educator with the South Shore Natural Science Center from 2002-2013, I had the pleasure of leading multiple groups of third and fourth graders from neighboring towns through Willow Brook. Its vast diversity allowed us to give these children an opportunity to view habitats that most were really not aware of. They enjoyed it all, but the tower, of course, was the big hit! Now as a retiree, I simply enjoy the beauty and unique diversity of the property. Looking forward to the upgrades!”  - Karen K. 

From August 12 to 16, Sierra Club volunteers from across the country and world helped Wildlands staff repair boardwalks, clear vegetation, and more at Willow Brook Farm. Photo by Rob MacDonald.

Thank you to all who have donated or volunteered in support of our campaign. We are humbled by your generosity and committed to keeping Willow Brook Farm a place for people, pets, and wildlife to thrive. Stay tuned for updates as our work continues. 

Upgrades at Willow Brook Farm: Support Our Work

Support us today so that Willow Brook Farm can continue to support us tomorrow.

For all that nature gives us—clean air and water, improved mental and physical health, diverse wildlife habitat, protection from heat waves and floods—it asks for little in return. When it does need our help, can it count on the Wildlands community? 

Few places anywhere pack the same wealth of cultural and natural resources into a suburban setting as Willow Brook Farm, a Wildlands Trust showcase preserve in Pembroke. Comprising 167 wild acres just 30 miles south of Boston, Willow Brook Farm epitomizes the globally rare ecological diversity of the Herring Brook Valley. Each year, over 20,000 people explore Willow Brook’s field, forest, and wetland habitats to learn about the human and natural communities that have come and gone from the region. 

“Willow Brook Farm is a special place,” said Wildlands President Karen Grey. “Whether you come here to walk your dog, go for a run, listen to the birds, or simply escape the stresses of daily life, Willow Brook has something for everyone.” 

After 27 years serving the people and wildlife of Southeastern Massachusetts, Willow Brook Farm needs upgrades to bolster its safety and value for future generations. Tasks include replacing Willow Brook’s 400 yards of boardwalk, building three covered picnic tables, expanding wayfinding amenities, restoring historic meadow habitat, and improving the parking lot. 

Unfortunately, improving public amenities in frequently flooded environments isn’t cheap: we estimate the restoration to cost $60,000. 

“For many years, Wildlands staff and volunteers have made repairs at Willow Brook in a piecemeal way,” said Stewardship Operations Manager Owen Grey. “We’re now at the point where proactively addressing the underlying issue—natural decay of aging infrastructure—will save us significant time and resources in the long run. It also gives us an opportunity to improve and expand Willow Brook’s built infrastructure to match its natural beauty.” 

Old cart path at Willow Brook Farm.

Historic field and boulders at Willow Brook Farm.

Historic path at Willow Brook Farm.

Boardwalk at Willow Brook Farm.

Grassy path at Willow Brook Farm.

Hardwood forest at Willow Brook Farm.

If you love Willow Brook Farm, we need your help! Wildlands Trust is seeking $20,000 in public donations to support this effort. An anonymous funder has agreed to a 2:1 match on every donation under $500 and a 1:1 match on all others, up to $40,000. That means you can triple your impact: a $50 donation will give us $150 to secure the future of this beloved preserve. 

“This campaign is an opportunity for the local and regional community to come together over a shared interest in nature,” President Karen Grey concluded. “When places like Willow Brook thrive, we all thrive. I hope you will consider supporting this work.” 

To donate, visit wildlandstrust.org/upgradewillowbrook. We also accept checks, stocks, and donor-advised funds. 

Multiply your impact by sharing this campaign with your friends, family, and neighbors! Sign up for our E-News and follow us on Facebook and Instagram for updates and opportunities to get involved as our work at Willow Brook Farm continues. 

Human History of Wildlands: Willow Brook Farm

By Skip Stuck, Key Volunteer

[Editor’s note: since the publication of this piece, Willow Brook Farm neighbors Ann Dee and Andrew Pelley have come forward with historical photos and documents connected to the property. These photos add a compelling dimension to Skip’s detailed account below. View the update here.]

People gravitate to natural beauty and diversity, whether they’re trained ecologists or not. The popularity of Willow Brook Farm is evidence of this fact. 

As you will see, the history of this beloved Pembroke preserve is rich as well, and not without controversy. Before you read what follows, I want to highlight an issue that I suspect we'll see often in future editions of this series. In researching this piece, I am reminded that history is easy to write when one consults only a few sources. It becomes more difficult when we attempt to enlarge and diversify the pool of observers and accounts. In the case of this piece, you'll quickly find that history as told by the English settlers is very different from that told by the Mattakeeset, especially around the mid- to late 1600s, the time of King Philip’s War.  

There is little consensus among the viewpoints of Natives and settlers. Nor should there be. The war was a bitter thing. Although not well known today, it was a horrible period, with a larger percentage of Americans, both European and Native, killed than at any other time in our nation's history. Worse yet, both sides had been friends who trusted and depended on each other only a generation or two earlier. Each side saw the conflict from its own perspective. Any single retelling of history almost always favors one person’s story to the exclusion or even denigration of another’s. 

This is not to turn you off to history. Rather, it is to remind us that stories are easy to tell, but rarely as straightforward as they seem. I encourage you to examine some of the resources I've listed at the end of this piece. You might find that history has as many versions as it has tellers. 

On that note, please keep in mind that this account is far from comprehensive. A goal of this project is to start a conversation with the Wildlands community about the cultural pasts of our cherished natural spaces. If you or someone you know has information about Willow Brook Farm’s history, we would love to hear from you! Share your insight (and/or photos!) with Communications Coordinator Thomas Patti at tpatti@wildlandstrust.org.  

Willow Brook Farm needs your help! Wildlands Trust is seeking $20,000 in public donations to make major upgrades at this suburban sanctuary. An anonymous donor is doubling every donation under $500 and matching all others, meaning you can double or triple your impact on the land you love. Donate today. 

Native American history 

• The area surrounding Willow Brook Farm and the Herring Brook and North River valleys has been used by Native Americans for thousands of years. The ancestors of the Mattakeeset band of the Massachusett tribe (the People of the First Light) settled in this area to use the bountiful resources it offered. The word "Mattakeesset" means "place of many fish," and the Herring River area was, and still is, home to a large alewife and river herring run each spring. Additionally, plentiful waterfowl and the land's suitability for growing maize, squash, and beans helped the tribe prosper. 

• After the Pilgrims landed in Plymouth, the Massachusett tribe's generosity with resources to the settlers was crucial in the colony's survival. Relationships between the two groups started strong. 

Adah F. Hall House, built circa 1685. Learn more at the Pembroke Historical Society.

First European settlers 

• The land that was to become Willow Brook Farm was purchased in the early 1600s from Massachusett Sachem Wampatuck, known to settlers as Josiah Sagamore, by Major Josiah Winslow of Marshfield in what was known as the "Major's Purchase." 

• Among the earliest recorded English settlers of the Major’s Purchase land was Robert Barker, who settled in the vicinity of Herring Brook in 1650.  

• Relationships between the Native and English populations changed for the worse in the later 1600s, culminating in the King Philip’s War. During the war, the Mattakeeset band, although not involved in the hostilities, was forcibly removed from their lands and sent to Clark's Island in Plymouth Harbor, where it is estimated that half (possibly as many as 500) tribal members died from starvation, disease, and exposure by the war's end in 1676. 

• Purported to be the oldest house in Pembroke, the Adah F. Hall house, built around 1685 by Robert Barker Jr., abuts the Willow Brook property. 

• In the early 1800s, Robert Jr.’s descendent, Benjamin Barker, achieved significant agricultural production on the property and was reputed to be the wealthiest man in Plymouth County at the time of his death.  

• The property remained in the Barker family until 1914, when it was purchased by William Hurley. Hurley established Willow Brook Farm, a dairy farm and showplace for his Guernsey cows. The remains of a large dairy barn are still visible today as a foundation and milking stalls being taken over by brush and trees. Although the farm was taken out of use in the mid-20th century, its fields are still maintained by Wildlands Trust in memory of its agrarian history. 

Pembroke town survey map, 1831. The Willow Brook land is represented by the spot labeled Benj Barker. Click to enlarge.

Wildlands Trust preserve 

• In 1997, Wildlands Trust purchased Willow Brook Farm's 73 acres with funds from an anonymous donor. Shortly thereafter, it acquired Fleetwood Farm (20 acres), Gillette-Sherman (7 acres), Lower Neck (40 acres), Missing Link (24 acres), and in 2008, the Slavin Donation (3 acres) to create today's 167-acre preserve. 

• Wildlands restored the property by adding a visitor parking lot and more than 3 miles of hiking trails, including boardwalks through wetland areas, an elevated viewing platform, and an informational kiosk. Today, it is one of Wildlands’ most used and appreciated preserves. 

Learn More 

To learn more, please visit our preserve webpage at wildlandstrust.org/willow-brook-farm. Better yet, walk the trails and enjoy the preserve’s natural and historical beauty for yourself. 

An important note: History is part fact and parts perspective, personal experience, and even bias. One person's history is another's myth. Bear this in mind as you read these reference materials, especially as they relate to both Native and English histories. 

To learn more about the early Native American history of the Willow Brook Farm area, as well as the Mattakeeset tribe through the present, take time to read "Our Story Not Theirs," an account by the Mattakeeset tribe itself.  

Also: 

• The Pembroke Historical Society: pembrokehistoricalsociety.org 

• The Adah F. Hall House: pembrokehistoricalsociety.org/adah-f-hall-house.html 

• Peter’s Well, which lies just across Barker Street from Willow Brook Farm: pembrokehistoricalsociety.org/peters-well.html  

• History of Pembroke, Massachusetts: History of Pembroke Massachusetts | Access Genealogy 

A special thanks to Hayley Leonard, Wildlands Trust AmeriCorps member, and Rob MacDonald, Wildlands key volunteer, for substantial research contributions to this account.