Prescott Farm
Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Script error: No such module "Coordinates".
Prescott Farm is a historic preservation of a colonial farm in Middletown (Newport County), Rhode Island. It spans Script error: No such module "convert"., and was in danger of demolition before Doris Duke bought it in 1973 and began restoration of the historical site.[1] Notable features of it include an operational windmill (c. 1812),[2] British General Prescott's Guard House, a county store (c. 1715), and a University of Rhode Island Master Gardener project with the purpose of simulating a historical vegetable garden through careful research on what crops where grown during that time period.[3][2] The farm itself is typical of the farms on Aquidneck Island.
History
The farm was founded in the 18th century. According to some sources, it was originally named Overing and Page Farm in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, founded by brothers Thomas Nichols and Edmund Nichols in 1650.[4] However, it seems that the two brothers moved to Newport in 1654, so it is not clear whether or not the two farms are the same. British General Richard Prescott occupied the farm prior to the Battle of Rhode Island. He was kidnapped there on July 9, 1777 by a small contingent Rhode Island militia and taken to Providence. Prescott was later exchanged for U.S. General Charles Lee. In 1973, Doris Duke's Newport Restoration Foundation purchased the land and opened it to the public. In 2007, the University of Rhode Island Master Gardeners began their project.[2]
Current status
While most of the farm is open to the public, certain properties are privately rented out and thus not accessible to the public. These include the Overing House and the Potter House (c. 1970). Prescott Farm's current attractions include showcased buildings, a pond, and several walking paths. The garden currently donates all of its produce to Lucy’s Hearth, a nearby women’s shelter.[2][1]
References
External links
Script error: No such module "Portal".
- Prescott Farm on the Newport Restoration Foundation website
- Lineage related to Prescott Farm
- Prescott Farm History
Template:Middletown, Rhode Island Template:Windmills in the United States
- Pages with script errors
- Pages with broken file links
- History of Rhode Island
- Museums in Newport County, Rhode Island
- Mill museums in the United States
- Buildings and structures in Middletown, Rhode Island
- Smock mills in the United States
- History museums in Rhode Island
- Farm museums in Rhode Island
- Octagonal buildings in the United States
- Windmills in Rhode Island