Dairy farm listed in state Register of Historic Places

WILTON – Four Corners Farm on Isaac Frye Highway, one of the oldest farms in town, has been listed in the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places.

Early last spring, the farm was awarded a $250,000 Land and Community Heritage Investment Program grant to help buy easements on 65 acres of the property.

The Temple-Wilton Community Farm operates the farm, which is the only dairy farm left in Wilton.

According to research conducted by resident David Vincent, the property was acquired in 1765 by Joseph Abbot of Andover, Mass. Buildings are recorded on the property in 1770.

Various Abbots owned the property until 1888, when it was conveyed to members of the Frye family.

According to research done by Cary Hughes, Abbot was the town’s first state representative, first justice of the peace and a justice of the court of common please. He later moved to Andover, Mass., and was a trustee of Phillips Academy there.From 1910-39, the property was owned by the Sheldon family, maternal ancestors of former Selectman Charles McGettigan. They sold the property to Robert Emmett. Beulah Emmett was the founder of High Mowing School, which adjoins the property.

The property is now owned by Steven Moheban, an attorney from Andover, Mass. The first phase of development of about 100 acres of the property is nearing completion and phase two will be heard by the Planning Board next week. Phase one included a large wet area placed under conservation easement.