Enjoy our Grounds

The land upon which Longfellow’s Wayside Inn sits so proudly today was first acquired by Samuel How in 1676, and was gifted to his son, David, in 1702 to build a home for his new family. At the time, it is believed David acquired about 130 acres from his father, and over the next 300 years, the acreage would expand and contract with subsequent owners, reaching a peak of almost 3,000 acres during Henry Ford’s ownership. When Ford transitioned The Wayside Inn to a private nonprofit organization, all the acreage he acquired was sold off, leaving only just over 100 acres, believed to be almost all the original How land, as a protective envelope for the Inn. The Wayside Inn Foundation is proud to continue Ford’s important legacy of protecting and maintaining this property for the public benefit for generations to come.

Please take your time, visit our historic buildings, picnic on our pastoral grounds, walk our hiking trails, and dine in Longfellow's Wayside Inn.

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Longfellow Memorial Gardens

These English gardens were designed and first planted in 1905 by Ella Lemon, sister of Edward Lemon, owner of The Wayside Inn property from 1897-1923. History suggests that a portion of the “west coping wall” was constructed with bricks sourced from the torn down remains of the John Hancock House in Boston. In 1918, Mr. Lemon added a bust (similar to the located in the Poet’s Corner at Westminster Abbey) of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, in a prominent niche at the center of the far garden wall. A lovely space for personal inspiration and reflection, the Longfellow Memorial Gardens are also available for weddings and other ceremonies.

Natural Forests

The Inn’s property includes richly forested land, with indigenous trees, flora and fauna, perfect for the nature lover. Popular with bird watchers and hikers alike, our trail system is an ideal way to explore and enjoy our beautiful natural forests with their abundant oak, pine, maple and birch trees. After a robust walk, why not pop into the Inn for a well-deserved, hearty meal?

Fields and Lawns

The Wayside Inn has several lush, grassy fields of various sizes available for soft recreational use (such walking, jogging, picnics, dog-walking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing). We still bale hay from some of our fields, continuing the agricultural traditions of the How family who made this land their family farm in the early 1700s. Our fields can also be rented for outdoor events such as craft shows, camping jamborees, fundraisers, themed festivals, and historic reenactments. The lawn in front of our iconic Grist Mill, with its soothing waterfall cascading into a meandering, babbling brook, is a popular location for photographs and picnics.

Water Features

Portions of both the beautiful Gristmill Pond, and the Carding Mill pond, are within the Inn’s property. These ponds are connected by the Hop Brook, which is partially diverted to feed the waterwheel on our Grist Mill, and then continues to be a tributary of the Charles River which flows all the way to Boston Harbor. To the right, rear of the Inn, is located Josephine’s Pond, a small lily pond named by Henry Ford after one of his granddaughters. Now seasonally stocked with trout for fly-fishing (catch and release), ice from this pond was harvested in winter and stored in our Ice House next to the popnd during Ford’s ownership.

Old Boston Post Road

The “driveway” just outside the front door of the Inn is in fact part of the original King’s Road dating back to the 1600s that connected Boston to points west. In 1896, this road was relocated about 50 feet away from the Inn, to pull the carriage traffic on the dusty dirt road away from the front of the Inn. That new road, then known as Post Road, is what is known today as Wayside Inn Road. In 1926, after Henry Ford purchased the Inn, due to the increasing heavy automobile traffic on this road, which vibrations were causing damage to the Inn’s foundations, he constructed a new road that completely bypassed the property (the current parallel portion of Route 20, visible up on the hill across from the Inn). Today, we maintain this small historic stretch of the “Old Boston Post Road” and although limited automobile use is permitted, it is used mostly for wedding processions, pedestrian travel between the Inn and the Chapel and Grist Mill, colonial parades, militia reenactments, fox hunts, and other events where the authentic historic aesthetic of the road is valued as an approach to and from the Inn.

Explore our Buildings

The Wayside Inn Foundation maintains nine historic buildings on our property, including the famous Longfellow’s Wayside Inn. Learn more about the history of our buildings below, or through our Self Guided Walking Tour. Additionally, our Gift Shop stocks several books detailing the rich history of both the Inn and the greater Wayside Inn property. During Henry Ford’s ownership of The Wayside Inn, he added substantial acreage to the original How property, eventually amassing almost 3,000 acres in the towns of Sudbury, Marlborough, and Framingham. Ford had great admiration for America’s founding fathers and the pioneer spirit –which he felt the Inn expressed -- as well as reverence for Longfellow. He was determined to buy The Wayside Inn, and acquire substantial land with it, to protect it for posterity for the public benefit. When Ford transitioned The Wayside Inn to a private nonprofit organization, all the acreage he acquired was sold off, leaving just over 100 acres and the nine buildings on the core property you find today. The Wayside Inn Foundation is proud to continue Ford’s important charge of protecting and maintaining these buildings.

Longfellow’s Wayside Inn

Nestled under great oak trees lining a quaint old stagecoach road, Longfellow's Wayside Inn sits proudly as the centerpiece of The Wayside Inn Historic District. First built in 1707 as a family home for the How family, a license for a “house of entertainment” was issued in 1716 to provide rooms, meals and spirits to travelers along the Old Boston Post Road, an important route linking Boston to points west. For over 300 years, the Inn has been providing warm hospitality to visitors from near and afar. Today, the Inn has eight traditional guest rooms, two historic guest rooms, and ten dining/function rooms to enjoy special functions or our legendary New England cuisine served daily at lunch and dinner. In addition, we maintain three period-style museum rooms (including the Longfellow parlor, inspirational setting for Longfellow’s epic work, Tales of a Wayside Inn) exhibiting historic objects pertaining to the How(e) family and life in an early American rural farming community. Visitors wishing to dine or stay overnight are encouraged to make reservations in advance.

The Martha-Mary Chapel

Located just 300 yards from the Inn and sitting majestically at the top of a grassy knoll framed by towering pine trees, the Martha-Mary Chapel was built in 1940 by Henry Ford during his ownership of The Wayside Inn property. Named after Mr. Ford’s mother and mother-in-law, the nondenominational chapel was built by young men who were part of Ford’s experimental Wayside Inn Boy’s School then located on the property, largely using wood from trees that fell during the great hurricane of 1938, and used as the school’s daily chapel. From its gilded-banner weathervane atop the stark white spire, to the elegant Waterford crystal chandelier above the classic pews, the chapel’s quintessential New England charm makes it a favorite setting for many weddings and inspiration for countless photographs and paintings. Visitors are invited to enjoy the chapel grounds, but the chapel is open only for Inn events and private functions.

The Grist Mill

This water-powered stone reproduction of an early American grist mill was built by Henry Ford as an educational facility in recognition of the importance of milling throughout history. It was built near the location of the original early-1700s How family grist mill, and ground its first cornmeal on Thanksgiving day in 1929. Used for many years by Pepperidge Farms to grind flour for their baked products, it is recognizable to this day as the inspiration for the company’s logo. Today, the mill is used for grinding grains used in our baked goods and famous muffins served in our restaurant. Sacks of whole wheat flour and whole corn meal burrstone-ground at the mill are available for sale in our open to visitors April through November, Wednesday through Sunday from 9am to 5pm. Staffed by a trained interpreter and miller, the interior is open and grinding demonstrations are held mostly on weekends when visitor traffic is highest.

The Redstone Schoolhouse

This charming one-room school house was built in 1798 in Sterling, Massachusetts and gained fame as the likely school referenced in the famous poem Mary Had a Little Lamb, published by Sarah Josepha Hale in 1830. Purchased by Henry Ford and moved to its current location (along with its outhouse) in 1927, it was actually used by the Town of Sudbury as a public school until 1951 for grades one through four. Interesting fact: Thomas Edison, a close friend of Henry Ford, and frequent visitor to the Inn, made the first recording of a human voice in history reading this poem. The school house is open mid-May through mid-October, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11:30am to 5pm, and staffed by a trained interpreter with information on schooling traditions in rural New England communities from the late 18th and early 19th centuries. This building is not heated and open depending upon weather, so those planning a special visit are encouraged to call ahead.

The Gate House (Coach House)

Now referred to as the Gate House, construction of this building was completed in 1913 by then-owner Edward R. Lemon, who built the structure to house his coach and antique collection. Originally built near the Longfellow Memorial Gardens using salvaged timbers from Colonial era taverns and houses, the building was moved to its present location by Henry Ford during his ownership of the property. Today, this building is used for private residences for inn staff and as the private offices of The Wayside Inn Foundation. Closed to the visiting pubic.

The Old Barn

This is the last remaining barn that belonged to the How(e) family and is believed to have been built in the early 1800s. Its importance is supported by historical records in our archives indicating the cultivation of hay, apples, Indian corn, rye. Oats, and the raising of swine, sheep, cows, oxen and horses. Today, the stalls in the barn are used to display coaches, farming tools, and other artifacts from the Inn’s collections. The barn is also seasonally used for a flower and plant business operated by a local proprietor, and for special Inn-related functions.

The Ice House

This three-story building, built in the 1930s, served the Inn during the years of ownership by Henry Ford for storage of ice cut from the adjacent lily pond (named “Josephine’s Pond” after one of Ford’s granddaughters). Ice cut from the pond during winter months was stored in this building (protected from melting with hay) and could last well into fall months. Today, this building is used by the Inn for storage and is closed to the public.

The Cider Mill

This small structure was built by Henry Ford in 1930 to house a cider press to process apples from extensive orchards Ford had planted on the property, although there is no evidence it was ever used as such. A recent study of the building's construction method and materials suggests it may actually have been relocated to the property by Ford from a northern New England coastal town. Sadly, time has not been kind to this building. Today, it is used by the Inn for storage, and the Inn is raising money for its eventual repair or replacement through our annual Cider Fest fundraisers. Closed to the public.

The Cold Storage Cellar

This structure was built by Henry Ford for produce processing and storage. It is now used by the Inn’s maintenance staff and is closed to the public.

Follow a Tour

The Redstone Schoolhouse and Wayside Inn Grist Mill are staffed by trained interpreters and are available for touring on a seasonal basis. Be sure to check the days and hours of operation for each building before your visit by calling us in advance. In addition to a Property Map, we offer a Self Guided Walking Tour of the property. Museum Rooms and Exhibits in Longfellow’s Wayside Inn are available for viewing free of charge, 7 days a week, from 9am to 8pm, everyday of the year except Independence Day (July 4th) and Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (December 24th afternoon and all day December 25th). School groups and similar-sized groups are encouraged to visit our buildings and grounds. Because of viewing space restrictions, we recommend groups over 18 persons to separate into smaller groups and to take turns rotating through the buildings for guided presentations in the Grist Mill and/or Redstone Schoolhouse. The Mill is open to visitors April through November, Wednesday through Sunday, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, closed from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM for lunch daily. Staffed by a trained interpreter, grinding demonstrations are held mostly on weekends when visitor traffic is highest. The Schoolhouse is open mid-May through mid-October, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, from 11:30 AM to 5:00 PM.Note: Our guided presentations are designed for audiences grade 3 and older. Parents and guardians of younger children are still encouraged to explore the property at their own pace.

Explore our Collections

The Wayside Inn Foundation is privileged to own an important collection of antique furniture, coaches, books, maps, records, letters, personal items, ephemera, and other historic objects dating back to the early 1700s. Some of our items are on display in our museum rooms or display cabinets, but the bulk of our collection is stored securely in our archives. Below are some highlights from our collection. In the coming months, and as part of a larger project, we hope to make additional items available for online review. Our archives are not open to the general public, but we would be pleased to arrange an appointment for supervised access for scholarly or research purposes. If you would like to arrange a visit, or make a donation of items to our archives, please contact our archivist at twif@wayside.org or The Wayside Inn Foundation office.

The Wayside Inn Stagecoach

This “Concord” stagecoach was manufactured in 1867 by the Abbot-Downing Company Carriage Works of Concord, New Hampshire, and was purchased by Henry Ford in 1926. Stagecoaches like this were used to transport both passengers and mail before the use of motorized vehicles. Our model was built to accommodate 12 passengers and would require six horses to pull when fully loaded. This coach travelled countless times past the front door of the Inn when it was used on the Boston-Worcester route (among others) during the mid-1800s to the early-1900s, which compelled Ford to purchase it for the Inn’s collection. The stagecoach was restored in 1974 when it acquired its current custom “Wayside Inn” livery. Due to its condition, our stagecoach is only used on special occasions and is on loan to, and can be viewed at, The American Heritage Museum in neighboring Hudson, MA. https://www.americanheritagemuseum.org/

The Wayside Inn Hostess/Front Door Diaries

The Wayside Inn Hostess Diaries (also called Front Door Diaries) were written by the women who served as hospitality hostesses at the Inn from 1929 to 1950. The hostesses, who were highly involved in the Inn’s operations, made daily records that range from the mundane (about the weather) to the fascinating (America’s entry into WWII). Entries include accounts about visitors and activities across the property; reflections and newspaper clippings about current events; menus of special dinners and functions; and poetry, letters, and photos shared by visitors. Digitized through an Library Services and Technology Act Grant administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, the diaries are a window into decades of the Inn’s, and our nation’s, history. The dairies are available to the public in digital form at https://archive.org/details/waysideinn. The image above is a sample entry.

The Molineaux Window Etchings

On June 24, 1774, William Molineaux, Jr., Esq., a major serving in the Boston militia commanded by John Hancock, visited the Inn and, using his diamond ring, etched a good-humored poem into one of the front glass window panes of the Inn. The lines (no doubt inspired by good food and spirits!) read: “What do you think? Here is a good drink, -- Perhaps you may not know it. If not in haste, do stop and taste, You merry Folks will show it.” Longfellow corresponded about the etching and referenced it in the Prelude to his Tales of a Wayside Inn. The window pane is on display in our Display Cabinets off the main reception area.

Jerusha Howe's Pianoforte

Jerushe Howe, called the"Belle of Sudbury", was the daughter of Adam Howe and sister of Lyman How, and has the privilege of being one of the only Howe women with a recorded history. Reported to a woman of remarkable beauty, intelligence, and talent (she was a singer and pianist), she died unmarried at 45. Legend has it her ghost haunts her old bedroom (number 9) and that sometimes her piano playing can be faintly heard wafting through our halls. Her pianoforte, the first one in Sudbury, was made by Babcock of Boston. After her brother’s death, the piano was sold at auction to help settle debts. Henry Ford’s agents located the piano, repurchased it, and restored it for the Inn’s collection, placing it in the front Parlor (today’s Longfellow Parlor) in 1940. It was again restored in 1960 to correct damage caused by the Inn’s 1955 fire. Longfellow included reference to the pianoforte in his Tales of a Wayside Inn.

View our Exhibits

Our self-guided museum rooms and exhibits are located in Longfellow’s Wayside Inn and are available for viewing 7 days, from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM.

Museum Rooms

We maintain three museum rooms at Longfellow’s Wayside Inn, one on the first floor to the left of our front door, and two just above this area on the second floor. These rooms feature period recreations of colonial life that will entertain, enlighten, and educate. Our most famous room, the Longfellow Parlor on the ground floor, was the inspirational setting for Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's Tales of the Wayside Inn.

Displays

Display cabinets featuring curated exhibits from our collections are located in the rear hallway off the main lobby. In addition, we maintain a Display Room upstairs across from the New Hall (Ballroom), which contains cabinets with items from our historic collections, as well as temporary exhibitions.

Display Room

This room, off the upstairs hallway across from the New Hall (Ballroom), features display cabinets with items from our archival collection, and also features changing exhibitions relevant to the property’s history or local community.

Find a Treasure in our Gift Shop

When visiting Longfellow’s Wayside Inn, explore our gift shop, located just off our main reception area. The Gift Shop carries a wide selection of beautiful custom-branded Wayside Inn merchandise including ties, coasters, mugs, hats, fleeces, ornaments, magnets, and our famous packaged flour and corn meal, ground at our own Grist Mill. Jewelry, pewterware, candy, candles and other enticing gifts await for all ages. Be sure to check in often as inventory changes seasonally. Our Gift Shop is operated under a retail partnership with our friends at Plimoth Plantation. Hours vary by season so please call before planning to visit.

Dine in a Historic Setting

Our guests may dine or host functions in a variety of unique spaces at Longfellow's Wayside Inn. All of our dining rooms have fireplaces (operated seasonally), period decor, their own special charm, and vary in size so we can accommodate both small and large parties.

The Old Bar

In 1707, The Old Bar was the downstairs room of the original two-room two-story house built by David How for his family. This room was the heart of the home where all of the cooking, eating, gathering, and work was done. In 1716, when How was granted a license to operate a “House of Public Entertainment," this room became the first “public” room of the Inn for food and drinks. A “hidden” staircase tucked behind a small door provided a discreet escape for stagecoach travelers to upstairs bedrooms. Graced with an old wood-beamed ceiling from which pewter mugs dangle and capture the warm light of the generous fireplace, this room continues as our full-service bar and is a favorite refuge steeped in history for guests to gather.

The Tap Room

This room was added to the original Inn around 1795, as increased tavern business necessitated a larger cooking space and an additional fireplace. For many years, this room served as the main bar for the Inn (and the name stuck – “Tap” being another name for “bar”). Now a dining room with old beamed ceilings, wooden floors, and two fireplaces (one with a beehive oven), this room has a warm, charming atmosphere for friends and family to enjoy our hearty New England meals.

The Washington Room

In 1775, when General George Washington travelled to Cambridge to take command of the Continental Army, he travelled along the Old Post Road, right in front of the Inn. A stone monument outside our front door commemorates this historic passage and this room is named in Washington’s honor. An addition to the original 1707 Howe home, this room was used by Edward and Cora Lemon, owners and innkeepers from 1897 to 1921, as a public dining room and is so used to this day. Although one of our smallest dining rooms, its warm wood paneling and large fireplace create an intimate space for special celebrations.

The Old Kitchen

Part of a separate house that was incorporated into the main Inn building sometime after 1796, this room was originally a kitchen with its large fireplace and a beehive oven used to prepare meals for the many travelers along the Old Post Road. A gravity-fed brass clock jack mounted to the fireplace turned the spit to roast joints of meat. With some of the oldest surviving wood beams and paneling at the Inn, some which wear visible scars from the 1955 fire, and an old cupboard stocked with pewterware, this room is often requested by our guests for its special ambiance. In fact, this room was Henry Ford's favorite room for entertaining guest while he owned the Inn.

The Main Dining Room

The last addition to the Inn, this is the largest and newest of all our dining rooms. Created in 1924 by former owner Henry Ford, this room originally had a much more rustic appearance. Today, this room is more formal, decorated in a light, traditional colonial revival style. With abundant windows, brass light fixtures, and a beautiful fireplace, this room has become one of the most requested rooms for dining and larger functions.

The Innkeeper's Room

The Innkeeper's Room was originally a separate building added on to the Old Kitchen, and likely used as a storage room. The fireplace and wood paneling were installed by Henry Ford after he purchased the Inn in 1923. Ford used this room as part of his private quarters when he was in residence at the Inn. The antique wood walls, old floorboards, beamed ceiling and fireplace create a charming atmosphere for our guests today.

The How Room

This room was added by innkeeper Ezekiel How (sometimes spelled Howe) in the mid-1770s to serve as living, eating, and sleeping quarters for the growing business. On completion, it doubled the size of the original Inn. Originally called the back parlor (it is located behind and could be accessed from the front parlor -- today’s Longfellow Parlor museum room), this room is now named in honor of the How(e) family, founders of the Inn. This charming, fireplaced room with soft, red painted wood trim serves as one of our smaller dining rooms.

The Ballroom (New Hall)

First referenced in 1796 by Ezekiel How as the “long chamber,” this room was subsequently converted into a large room for dancing, music and entertainment by Adam How, and to this day, features a small fiddler’s stand to the left of the fireplace at the far end of the room. The black painted ceiling disguised smoke from the original candled (now electrified) chandeliers. Reconstructed during our 1950’s renovation, this room is decorated with custom hand-stenciled walls, cushioned “wallflower” seat-benches, and two fireplaces. It is a favorite room for medium-sized functions.

The Hobgoblin Room (Old Hall)

The Hobgoblin Room was originally built in the mid-1700s for public receptions, dancing, and entertainment as part of the second addition to the original Inn. It soon became too small for public use, and a larger hall (the “New Hall”, now The Ballroom) was added in its place. Its current name derives from a story told by a former How family member who claimed to have seen a ghostly apparition floating through this room on a dark night many years ago. During the Inn’s 1955 renovation, this room was reconstructed as an entertainment space, with rich wood paneling, beamed ceilings and a fireplace. It is now mostly used for functions.

The Ford Room

A former wood/carriage shed, in 1899, it was attached to the Inn by innkeeper Edward Lemon and opened as an art gallery to display his collection of paintings and objects d’art. After purchasing the Inn in 1923, Henry Ford added a bay window and used this room as his personal bedroom during his visits to the Inn. A double-benched fireplace alcove provides a cozy place for intimate conversations and a large iron chandelier complements the vaulted ceiling. Today, this room is mostly reserved for function use.

The Patio (seasonal)

Enjoy our delicious lunch menu al fresco on our brick patio tucked under our great oak trees and overlooking The Wayside Inn grounds, including the beautiful Longfellow Memorial Gardens. Open daily for lunch (weather permitting) from late spring through early fall.

Make the Most of Your Visit

Please respect and follow the rules if you visit the grounds.

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