The Hopkinton Conservation Commission collaborated with Five Rivers Conservation Trust in 2019 to permanently protect this 55-acre farm field in the center of Contoocook Village, located behind Dimitri’s restaurant and Colonial Plaza. The field, which is owned by the Houston family as part of its Pine Lane Farm, is permanently restricted from development by a conservation easement held by Five Rivers Conservation Trust.
The field contains prime farm land soils and nearly one mile of frontage on the Contoocook and Warner Rivers. It has the added benefit of being in the center of Contoocook village, across from the town’s Riverway Park and next to Contoocook’s iconic covered bridge. Keeping this agricultural land open and productive is important to maintaining Contoocook’s rural character. Together with the conservation easement on Bohanan Farm, over five miles of contiguous river frontage has been protected on the Contoocook, Blackwater and Warner Rivers.
Public access will be permitted on a seasonal basis to avoid conflicts with farming operations. Parking is available in Contoocook Village.
The Rice property, with 200 acres and 1475 feet of frontage on the Contoocook River, was purchased by the town with money from the Open Space Bond.
This large parcel, with its extensive river frontage, provides good habitat for a variety of wildlife. A local farmer maintains the large field near the river. The town has conveyed a conservation easement on the property to Five Rivers Conservation Trust.
Parking and trails have not been developed on this parcel.
The 14-acre Beyer property was purchased by the town in 2004 with funds from the Open Space Bond. The property abuts Smith Pond Bog and provides parking for their trails (currently unusable due to beaver activity).
The town is in the process of placing a conservation easement on the property with New Hampshire Audubon to ensure that it will always remain as open space.
Trails have not yet been developed on this parcel, but an old logging trail leads from the parking area to a lookout over Smith Pond Bog. The Beyer tract is one of the protected parcels of the Hopkinton Village Greenway.
