Weir Farm Map (click to enlarge)

The park brochure for Weir Farm National Historical Park includes a 6-stop Walking Tour of the grounds. Most of the stops are places you would normally see when visiting the park (Burlingham House Visitor Center, Weir House, Weir and Young art studios), but the tour also includes stops at the crossroad intersection of Pelham Lane and Nod Hill Road, Truant’s Meadow, and Weir Pond. The main attractions have their own web pages here on National Park Planner, so the following is an accounting of the other sites of interest. When taking the Walking Tour, be sure to stay on the mowed paths to lessen the chance of picking up ticks.

CARETAKER’S HOUSE AND STUDIO

Weir Farm was an actual working farm, but Julian Alden Weir knew nothing about farming so he hired someone to run things for him. The farm manager lived in what is known as the Caretaker’s House. Today it is used as the home of the Artist-in-Residence, an artist who gets to live at Weir Farm for one month and create new works of art. Next door is a barn that was built in 2010 for use as the artist’s studio. Ten artists are chosen each year from a pool of applicants. If interested in applying, visit the Artist-in-Residence Program web page for the park.

Caretaker’s House at Weir Farm National Historical Park

LIVESTOCK PENS

In addition to growing grain and having an orchard, Weir raised livestock such as cattle and pigs. The remains of the livestock pens are located to the west of Mahonri Young’s art studio.

Remains of the livestock pens at Weir Farm National Historical Park

SECRET GARDEN

Secret Garden at Weir Farm National Historical Park

Originally created in 1915, the Secret Garden gets its name from the fact that it is hidden from view by Deutzia bushes. The National Park Service restored it in the early 1990s, and today the garden is a favorite place for children to draw and paint using the free supplies that are available at the Burlingham House Visitor Center.

Entrance into the Secret Garden at Weir Farm National Historical Park

Mother and her children painting at the Secret Garden, Weir Farm National Historical Park

BARN AND OUTBUILDINGS

North of the Weir House is a small complex of farm-related buildings. From the house you can see the barn and tack house, and beyond this, blocked from view, is an icehouse and corn crib. Other historic structures include a tool shed, wells, and fences. All of these existed prior to Weir’s purchase of the farm in 1882.

The only alterations to the barn are the wood shingle siding that was added in 1915 and the enlargement of one of the buildings to accommodate an automobile. The tack house—the hexagonal structure at the right of the barn complex—is a 1911 replacement of the original. The Weir Farm remained an active farm until the 1950s.

Weir Barn and other farm-related buildings at Weir Farm National Historical Park

The barn buildings are open for visitors to look inside. These include a stable, milking parlor, pony stall for the donkeys and ponies, and equipment room.

Stable at Weir Farm, Weir Farm National Historical Park

Milking Parlor at Weir Farm, Weir Farm National Historical Park

Pony Stall at Weir Farm, Weir Farm National Historical Park

Equipment Room at Weir Farm, Weir Farm National Historical Park

TRUANT’S MEADOW

Across Nod Hill Road from the barn is Truant’s Meadow, which takes its name from one of Weir’s paintings. This land—ten acres in total—was not part of his original farm purchase but was added in 1896 when he built Weir Pond farther to the east. Anyone walking to the pond must pass through the meadow.

The small building located in the meadow was once a portable art studio. Called the Palace Car, it was built on runners and could be pulled to different locations by oxen. The building eventually became a playhouse for Weir’s three daughters.

Truant’s Meadow and the Palace Car at Weir Farm National Historical Park

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