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One of Sudbury’s sometimes-overlooked conservation parcels now has a trail guide published by the Sudbury Conservation Department.
Poor Farm, which has a parking area at the intersection of Willis Road and Marlboro Road, is an approximately 55-acre parcel with a unique history. According to the trail guide “Before there was Social Security and welfare, so-called “poor farms” were a common approach for grappling with poverty. Also called “town farms,” the residents would provide labor to expenses associated with their upkeep. This include raising the fruits, vegetables, and livestock that they consumed. Sudbury’s own “Poor Establishment” came into being in the 19th century. In 1832, the Town purchased the land of Asa Noyes expressly for this purpose.”
Of the property’s 55 acres, a 13-acre field remains in active agricultural production today. The town leases this space to a local farmer, maintaining the site’s agrarian roots. According to the trail guide, the land is a critical natural sanctuary featuring wetlands, streams that feed into Pantry Brook, and formally protected habitat for the rare blue-spotted salamander. It is open to the community half of an hour before sunrise until half of an hour after sunset. You can access other trail guides here.