Thornton W. Burgess Society
THORNTON W. BURGESS MUSEUM          GREEN BRIAR NATURE CENTER
 "to inspire reverence for wildlife and concern for the natural environment"

  
 

East Sandwich Game Farm

  
The Thornton Burgess Society is pleased to announce that we now have a cooperative management agreement with the State Division of Fisheries and Wildlife to manage the 133 acre East Sandwich Game Farm. This is very exciting for us because it means that this beautiful piece of property, which boasts a very diverse history, will be preserved and available for everyone to enjoy. Here you will find salt marsh, fresh water ponds, uplands, lowlands, fields, forest and an abundance of wildlife. The Game Farm abuts Talbot’s Point Conservation Area. Together these two areas offer over 245 acres of open space.

Late Summer at the Game Farm

For more than 60 years, the state annually raised on this property over 10,000 pheasants and 3,500 quail for distribution through the state. The facility has been closed since 1987 when the state ceased operation of the Game Farm. In the early 17th & 18th century, this land was used as a shipyard making both one and two-masted vessels. There is a very ancient trench that was used for hauling the logs out of the woods to the site of the shipyard. There is strong evidence that the area, prior to it being utilized as farmland by white settlers, was a very prominent native American settlement, with artifacts found by workers at the Game Farm. An extremely high tide in 1987 eroded the area at Fisherman’s Landing, a popular fishing site, and exposed a circle of burnt stones believed to be a native American campfire. This would have been an ideal place for a settlement because you would have a very, very rich area with every kind of water form you can imagine, salt and fresh, rich soil and lots of woods.

The management agreement allows the Society to use the property for educational programming and conservation. Most of the 11 buildings on the site will be assessed for future use as classroom, exhibit or storage space. There is a tremendous amount of cleanup needed. A small crew of workers has been clearing brush and mowing some of the property.

Clean up days are planned on Tuesday & Saturday mornings at 8 am. If you would be interested in helping with this worthwhile endeavor, please let us know of your interest either by phone or e-mail. Call Ed Houlihan, at (508) 833-9144 or e-mail ed@thorntonburgess.org

 
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