The Bradstreet Farm on Route 1A had been in the Bradstreet family since 1635, when the land was granted to Humphrey Bradstreet by King Charles I of England. The property includes an early 19th century farmhouse and 18th century barn in addition to upland meadow, woodland, and marsh. Sixty percent of the property is part of Rowley’s Great Marsh. 

When the property came on the market, the town of Rowley was able to purchase this 120 acre farm using $2.75M of its CPA funds. At the time this opportunity arose, proponents of the project did not know exactly what CPA purposes the property would be best suited for, but they agreed that it must be preserved. So along with town officials,  they crafted a warrant article to allow the town to buy the property for any of the four CPA uses with the stipulation that Town Meeting must approve a land use plan for the property in the future.

Since the the acquisition of Bradstreet Farm was authorized by Rowley Town Meeting in November 2006, the town has developed a land use plan for the property which includes all four of the CPA purposes. Approved by Rowley’s 2008 Annual Town Meeting, the land use plan calls for 103 acres to be set aside for conservation and passive recreation, nine acres for active recreational use, and two acres for affordable housing. Seven acres containing the historic farm house and barn will be permanently protected with a historic preservation restriction and resold.