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Mount Hope Farm Series LbNA #6522 (ARCHIVED)

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:Nov 23, 2003
Location:
City:Bristol
County:Bristol
State:Rhode Island
Boxes:3
Found by: Team Sock Monkey (3)
Last found:Apr 28, 2008
Status:FFFFFFFFFFFFFFa
Last edited:Nov 23, 2003
A series of three letterboxes at historic Mount Hope Farm in Bristol, RI. This first one is accessible after only a short hike (10-15 minutes). The next letterboxes are longer hikes, getting to the second box takes about 20 minutes out and another 20 to the third.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Mount Hope Farm (1680) is 200 acres of fields, meadows, pastures, woodlands, streams and historic buildings; a landmark on the National Register of Historic Places. Mount Hope Farm was purchased from the Haffenreffer family in 1998 and is maintained by the Mount Hope Farm Trust who do a great job with this “gentleman’s farm” that dates back to the mid-18th century. Overlooking Mount Hope and Narragansett Bays, this site is a medley of historic buildings on 200 acres of meadows, fields, woodlands, ponds and streams.

Originally, this area was the historical summer home to the Wampanoag tribe and was the seat of its sachem. The Governor Bradford House (1745) is a National Register landmark, President George Washington stayed at the two and a half-story Gambrel Roof Colonial for a week in the late 1700s while visiting William Bradford, a senator at that time. Though not a working farm, about sixty acres are hayed each season and it is home to a variety of pheasant and other livestock.

HOURS: The Farm is open to the public from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM (closing hours vary in November and December with earlier sunset) for walking on its miles of trails and roads along Mount Hope Bay. The Governor Bradford House and farm is open for tours April17 to October 14, Wed through Sun, Noon to 4.

DRIVING DIRECTIONS: Located in Bristol, Rhode Island on Route 136, just north of the Mount Hope Bridge. Be sure to enter and park at the public parking area to the south of the main Mount Hope Farm entrance.


Mount Hope Farm Letterbox
From parking lot, go due northwest across the grassy fields towards the main house. Pass in front of the main house until you get to the main farm road, which runs east-west. Follow the road east through the farm, past the barn (on your left with the nautical figurehead) and down the hill towards the ponds. Before you reach the ponds, the stone wall to the north will end just past where it is built upon a rock outcropping. You will find the letterbox built into the south face of the wall, one pace west of the wall’s termination. Stamp in and replace the letterbox and rebuild the stones well so no passersby can see it.

King Philip Letterbox
Continue east on the main farm road, past the spillway of the ponds and down a long straight road through pine trees. Pass through the gateposts with roof-like tops, the road will bear to the north and pass over two streams in stone wall channels. At the second stream (with waterfall to your left), the main road turns to the east and an old, disused road continues north. Follow this old road to the north/northwest until you come to a stone wall on your left. From this point, proceed 280 paces along the road until you arrive at a point where two trees crowd close to either side of the road. (If you get to the chain link gates at the end of the road, you have gone too far.) On your left, find a path through the woods that leads to a stone monument placed in 1877 to commemorate the death of King Philip. Bushwhack seven (7) paces to the right of the engraved stone monument, and behind the tree you will find the King Philip letterbox under two white stones and leaves. Stamp in while sitting on the round stone well surrounding the spring or on the monument itself. Be careful to reseal the letterbox well as this is a damp location.

Bridge View Letterbox
Retrace your steps and follow the old road back to its intersection with the main farm road. Follow this road due east, towards the “Cove Cabin”. The road follows the rocky shore and seals can be seen here in winter. Follow the road through the cedar gates, and past the Cove Cabin (the road is sometimes blocked when there are weddings and functions at the cabin). Past the cabin, the road begins to turn north. At this turn (before the big hay field to the right of the road), there is a dirt path on your right (between two big cedar trees) heading towards the beach. Follow this path to the beach and walk down to the beach itself.

As you stand on the beach, you will notice a single weathered wooden post above the high tide mark. Line yourself up with this post, facing east down the beach. Walk 30 paces towards the east on the beach, and you will find yourself parallel with a large “balancing” rock to your left. Turn to face this rock. To the left of the “balancing” rock is a large flat stone. The letterbox is carefully hidden among the stones atop the flat rock. Stamp in and replace the letterbox and rebuild the stones well.