Watson Farm

Explore this 265-acre property, which today is a working cattle and sheep farm owned by Historic New England. For millennia, Indigenous people lived well on Conanicut Island, using controlled burning to clear the land for hunting and cultivation. European colonizers sought the resulting grasslands for their animals. After 1657, the land was owned by three governors and worked by enslaved people and tenant farmers. In 1789, Job Watson purchased the farm that would be passed down through five generations. During open hours, take a self-guided walking tour, participate in an outdoor workshop, explore farm fields with grazing livestock, stroll along the shore, and view seasonal farm activities. Using innovative sustainable practices, the managers of Watson Farm continue the tradition of pastoral husbandry, grazing Heritage Red Devon cattle and sheep on the scenic seaside pastures. The farmers produce 100% grass-fed animals and wool blankets for local markets.