Farm History

Red Oak Hill Farm History

Bert and Frances Allen moved here in 1940 but the farm itself has been here for over 150 years. The only things existing of the original farm structures are the barn and part of the old cistern used to store rainwater.

Red Oak Hill Farm was an old stop-over on the coach road from Portsmouth to Concord. The stop must have been wonderful for weary passengers. The Farm had a carriage shop, blacksmith shop, a tavern , an inn and even a cobblers shop. The house was huge with a 2 storied ell that connected the house with the 3 storied barn. The old barn was built in 1841 according to dates written within the barn. In the Winslow cemetery on the property, there are gravestones that date in the late 1700’s.

Bert and Fran rented the property from Ed St Laurent for 3 years before buying the property in 1943. Fran says that when they moved in the house had 4 fireplaces.

There were upstairs rooms in the ell that were all partitioned off as small bedrooms. On the ground floor of the ell was a kitchen that had one whole wall bricked with a big fireplace and ovens to feed the travelers. Also there was a tavern where the people would eat and drink before moving on. Fran said that there were old mugs in the barn when they came that had the names of the “regulars” to the tavern. There was also a carriage house with bays for the coaches that connected to the barn. Under the carriage house was a stable for the horses and a blacksmith shop for repairs. When they first came there was an old sleigh in the stable complete with the harnesses and bells.
The barn had a half cellar where the pigs were kept. The horses and cows were on the ground floor. The chickens and other fowls were kept on the second floor and above that was where the loose hay was stored for winter. There were 2 big silos on the back of the barn as well for grain and silage.

The house and the ell were destroyed in a fire in 1946.

This is my Dad (Bruce Allen Sr) and grandmother, (Frances Allen) back some time in the 1950’s. I can’t quite place where that photo was taken. Below are two of my Aunts (Mae on the left and Kay on the right), probably some time during the same decade. Behind them is where the old house above stood, and where my parent’s house now stands. They are on the edge of what is now the front lawn.

This is Granda Bert with his favorite John Deere Model B tractor. This was also taken sometime in the 1940’s or 50’s and appears to have been shot out the window of an old car.

That tractor is still here on the farm.