CASE- BARLOW FARM
CASE- BARLOW FARM
A historical study of Case-Barlow Farm should logically start with the journey from Granby, Ct. by Chauncey Case, his wife, Cleopatra, and their five children. The trip began on May 23, 1814, and they arrived in Hudson July 4, 1814.
A log cabin across the street from the present home was waiting for them, but Chauncey put on the finishing touches just in time for the birth of their 6th child on August 15, 1814. They eventually had a total of ten children. The family cleared the land and began a prosperous dairy farm. Chauncey and his sons made and fired their own bricks to build the family home in 1831. It is stated that this was the first brick home west of Pittsburgh. The wooden addition was added about 1846.
Five consecutive generations of the same family lived on and maintained the dairy farm. The family prospered and over time acquired surrounding land to expand their dairy herd. By 1890 they owned 485 acres and needed to build a larger barn. The Case-Barlow families farmed the property for almost 200 years. As their farming years came to a close in the 1900s, the Barlow family began selling off the pasture and crop lands for a variety of uses. The site now occupied by JoAnn Fabrics was once part of the farm. Don and his second wife, Helen, donated the remaining property to the First Congregational Church of Hudson. In 1996 a group of concerned, preservation-minded citizens formed the non-profit Case-Barlow Bicentennial Farm. The farm, house, buildings and almost 5 acres were purchased to preserve the legacy of the Cases and Barlows. The City of Hudson Park District purchased the surrounding fields for a city park.
The farmhouse is furnished through the generosity of many who have donated their time, funds, and antiques. Special thanks to the Hudson Questers who research, arrange exhibits, and maintain the home.