National Register of Historic Places

Gay Farm

Petersham, Worcester County, Massachusetts
Listed
September 21, 1977
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
77000201

About this property

Gay Farm is a historic colonial house located on the north side of Nichewaug Hill in Petersham, Massachusetts. Built in 1740 by William Negus, the house is the oldest surviving building in Petersham. Negus' family owned the home until 1819, when Joel Stearns purchased the property. Thomas Stevens Howe, great grandson of William Negus, purchased the home in 1847 and lived there until his death in 1893. His daughter Elizabeth and her husband Charles M. Gay lived in the house during their lifetimes, giving it its current name. Not having any children, the home then passed to their relative Lewis H. Babbitt and his wife Corinne who lived out their lives there. The farm was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

Location

Petersham, Worcester County, Massachusetts
42.46398, -72.18447

Categories

MILITARYARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
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The Civil War
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The Soldiers
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Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
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Rivers & Rail
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Notable People
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Historical Maps
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Nearby Historic Sites

Petersham Common Historic District
Listed
1.9 mi
Prescott Town House
Industrial
2.4 mi
Holland-Towne House
Industrial
2.5 mi
District No. 4 School
Industrial
3.3 mi
Dana Common Historic and Archaeological District
Early Republic
3.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Gay Farm listed on the National Register?

Gay Farm was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 21, 1977.

What type of historic resource is Gay Farm?

Gay Farm is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Gay Farm?

The period of significance for Gay Farm is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Gay Farm?

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