Map of Canonchet Farm Property
Watch a short film on Habitat Restoration at Lake Canonchet
On Protecting Canonchet #1
The Master Plan
On Protecting Canonchet #2
Appropriate Uses
On Protecting Canonchet #3
Management of the Park
On Protecting Canonchet #4
Finance Issues
Photos:
Cleanup at Lake Canonchet
September 10, 2011
Charlie Lee Remembrance
February 6, 2011
Canonchet History
Who was Canonchet?
by Richard Vangermeersch
Canonchet Farm Master Plan
Town Council Holds Workshop on Planning Board Report
Our Response
October 21, 2010
Our Vision and Recommendations for Canonchet Farm
April 2009
Pictures
Guided Walks Fall 2010
Beech Grove Cleanup Complete
Cleanup - Day 4
October 31, 2009
Beech Grove
Cleanup - Day 2
October 9, 2009
Tom Wessels
Guided Walk
October 10, 2009
Other Links
Narrow River Preservation Association
Posted January 8, 2023
Restoring Narrow River's Salt Marshes with Save the Bay
Maury
Loontjens Memorial Library
Sunday Afternoon, January 29, 2023 from 2:00 to 3:30.
Join us at the Maury Loontjens Memorial Library as we learn about past and proposed salt marsh restoration efforts along the Narrow River. Save The Bay’s Wenley Ferguson will highlight our salt marsh restoration projects in partnership with U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Audubon Society of Rhode Island and the Narrow River Land Trust on the Narrow River, and proposed work in Pettaquamscutt Cove in coordination with the Town of Narragansett.
Background: The region's salt marshes are degraded and experiencing plant die-off due to a combination of factors including legacy human impacts such as past agricultural and mosquito control activities and accelerated sea level rise. Restoring tidal hydrology through the digging of shallow creeks allows water impounded on the marsh surface to drain and the marsh plants to recolonize die-off zones.
This event is free and open to the public; advance registration is encouraged. Click the Register button to sign up at the library website.
Posted January 8, 2023
January 7, 2023 – Jake Brown (left) and Bob Stepanian were among the volunteers who cleared brush from around an old well providing access for the town to install a temporary cover. The well was discovered during a work session a week before when a Friends of Canonchet Farm crew was removing invasives from the stone wall along the Canonchet Farm Trail behind the South County Museum. Note the museum’s Carpentry Shop and Metz Exhibit Hall in the background. The crew meets on Saturday mornings (weather permitting) to maintain the trails. New volunteers are always welcome; contact Tom Hoagland for more information.
See the Friends of Canonchet Farm Home Page in 2022.
THE FRIENDS OF CANONCHET FARM was created in 2007 by a group of Narragansett residents who recognized this forgotten parcel of land could be preserved as a natural space for the community to enjoy. The group has evolved into a partnership with the Town to provide funding and volunteers for enhancing the property. We are committed to help create a natural park for the enjoyment and education of Narragansett residents and visitors.
Today Canonchet Farm is a green space unlike any other in Rhode Island. Comprised of 175 acres of fresh and saltwater wetlands, forests,brooks, and ponds abutting Pettaquamscutt Cove on Narrow River, the land is habitat for a wide variety of birds, plants, animals, and insects. The John H. Chafee National Wildlife Refuge owns ten acres of the land, while the remaining 165 acres belong to the Town of Narragansett. The original open fields of farmland have, over the years, grown into a thick forest of native and invasive plants and trees. Visitors and members will enjoy learning about the area on our popular guided walks, led by experts in the fields of nature, culture, and the sciences. With 1.5 miles of walking trails and proximity to the South County Museum, Canonchet Farm is a perfect venue for a day's outing.
HISTORY
Canonchet Farm's earliest inhabitants were the Narragansett Indians, followed by the first colonial settlers and farmers of the area. In 1865 Governor William Sprague and his wife, Kate Chase Sprague, purchased the property and constructed a sprawling sixty-eight-room mansion. They called the farm"Canonchet" after the renowned sachem of the Narragansett tribe. In 1909 the mansion burned to the ground. Now,only the stone framework remains from the original stable, which burned in 1960's.
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
With the ongoing habitat restoration program, made possible by the support of donations and volunteers, the ponds are becoming visible from Boston Neck Road. A proposed linear park along the shores of both ponds with a landscape design of native plants begins to take shape. We also plan to install educational signage, offer programs for children, and hold courses in forestry management.
BECOME A MEMBER
Whether your interest is a quiet walk through the forest or the hands-on experience of preserving the environment, we invite you to join Friends of Canonchet Farm, and help support the natural development of this unique place in Rhode Island.
Photos by Bill Krul
The mission of the Friends of Canonchet Farm
is to improve, manage and
preserve Canonchet Farm
in partnership with the public
for the enjoyment
of present and future
generations.
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