Clark Farm Permanently Protected

Historic Clark Farm      Photo by Midge Eliassen

In an extraordinary and generous act, Grant and Helene Wilson and Dorothy Clark and her family joined together this summer to permanently protect Carlisle’s beloved Clark Farm. The Wilson and Clark Conservation Restrictions (CRs) granted to CCF cover over 64 acres including approximately 45 acres of contiguous no-build areas. All of the hayfields visible between Concord Street and School Street will be open space in perpetuity, and the public can now enjoy access over a permanent public trail easement between Concord Street (beginning next to the old Lapham Christmas tree farm) and the intersection of School Street and Baldwin Road.

Clark Farm is one of the most prominent properties in Carlisle, as well as the home of Guy and Dot Clark, long-time community leaders. The Clark dairy farm operated at the property from 1899 until the mid-1980s and for years was also a source of manure improving local vegetable and flower gardens. The farm looks much as it did 100 years ago when all the roads in Carlisle were gravel and the Clark family drove their buggy to Concord over the same path that our new public trail now follows. CCF’s work ensures that the landscape will remain as it is forever.

Please join CCF in thanking the Wilson and Clark families for their generosity to Carlisle, take a walk through the fields on the new Clark Farm Trail, and send a tax-deductible contribution to CCF to help us maintain this and other public access trails on the many CRs we hold and monitor in Carlisle.

Greg Peterson