Applecrest

I am one of the first farms to be settled in town by James Prescott, who came from England in 1665. Before Route 1 was built, Route 88 was the main road between Exeter and Salisbury, Mass – so many people would have passed by my agricultural fields. Then, in 1815, I – the house you see before you - was built by Aaron Wells – a farmer who embraced innovation – including the first mowing machine in town – and who successfully harvested marsh hay from the marshlands around Hampton Falls.
The Farmer family took over the farm in 1913, raising chickens and planting apple trees. Next to move in was the Wagner family in 1954, who continue to operate Applecrest Farms today. The three generations of family living here since have done only minor renovations to the house and the barn you see right next to me. There’s a removable piece of molding in my dining room that has signatures from every family who has lived here over many decades.  It is also thought that my white chimneys with black stripes may have signaled a secret code of the Underground Railroad -- helping runaway slaves find safe places to hide as they journeyed North.