December 18, 2023 HBI is finalizing the sale of the Fowler Clark Epstein Farm in Mattapan to the Urban Farming Institute (UFI)
As the year comes to a close, HBI is in the final stage of selling the 1786 Fowler Clark Epstein Farm in Mattapan to the nonprofit Urban Farming Institute (UFI) with the aim of completing the transaction by December 31st. The sale will include the placement of a preservation easement, which will allow HBI to steward the farm’s continued preservation and protection in the future.
Built between 1786 and 1806, the Fowler Clark Epstein Farm remains among the earliest intact, vernacular examples of an agricultural property in the Commonwealth’s cities. The original farmhouse is located on land that was once part of a large Dorchester estate encompassing over 330 acres.
In 2015, Historic Boston Incorporated (HBI) purchased the property. In partnership with architectural firm Perkins+Will, HBI rehabilitated the Fowler Clark Epstein Farm from 2016- 2018, preserving the farm’s historic significance in restoring the original farmhouse and barn. The space now serves as the institute’s headquarters, complete with a greenhouse, farm stand, classrooms, and a demonstration kitchen.