More Brewer Park features a meadow on a rolling hill, glacial ridges, wooded hillsides, and Bear Swamp. It also features the man-made Brewer Pond, a lily pond created by a cart path embankment that serves as a dam. The park is in the Back River watershed. A stream from the pond flows north across the property to Fresh River, which originates on the Hingham Country Club property, and continues into Back River. The park also features a variety of trees thanks to Francis Willard Brewer, the self-appointed tree warden of Hingham. In the late 1800s he planted 34 types of street trees as he purchased the land. Some of the plants were street trees which he gave to Hingham residents upon request. Francis, son of John R. Brewer, spent boyhood days on his father’s World End Farm; and, possibly inspired by that experience, began in 1884 to purchase sheep grazing land at Great Hill. He married, built a house and farm buildings, and raised a family there. Remains of a barn which was also used for worker housing remains on the northeast side of the park. In 1921 Brooke’s More bought the property. Brooke’s daughter, Katherine, married Wilmon Brewer, Francis Brewer’s son. Nearly a century after Francis Brewer began buying the land, in 1980, Dr. and Mrs. Wilmon Brewer gave the Conservation Commission 107 acres of the Great Hill estate. Combined with previously acquired 31.4 acres to the north and the 48.1-acre Brewer Reservation earlier given by the Brewer family, the park totals 186.5 acres of varied land, much of it interlaced with winding carriage paths. Features include a spacious meadow, surrounded by pine, larch and dogwood. Brewer Pond, gorgeous when water lilies are in bloom, and the more secluded Ice House Pond provide habitat for many creatures. There is a trail through Bear Swamp and the foundation of the tiny cottage of Bootleg Charlie, immortalized in the poetry of Brookes More. In 2006, protection of Bear Swamp was enhanced by a 5-acre gift of the Estate of Gertrude Higgins. Parking is off-road at 165 Hobart Street.
The full west loop walk follows the outer trail from the kiosk at the trailhead counterclockwise around to the west and back to the kiosk. The 1.2 mile route begins at the parking lot at 165 Hobart Street and heads north through a gully to an information kiosk. The kiosk contains information on the More and Brewer families and information on trees planted on the property by Francis Brewer during the late 19th century. The route turns left down a cart path with a meadow on the right. When the path comes to a map kiosk there are three options: left fork towards Brewer Pond, right turn towards the meadow and right fork into the woods. This walk goes down the trail into the woods past some Larch trees on the right. Continue on this path past a trail on the left and in about 500 feet the trail comes to a low wet spot. Immediately after the wet spot is a fork in the trail. The walk continues on the trail to the right. Immediately after the junction on the right there is a trail and gate that leads to the remnants of a barn and workers housing. There is a trail and a gate that leads to the site of the barn. You will also see two houses off to the right. Please do not take trail offshoots by thes homes as you will end up on Private property. Continue on the trail to a T intersection and turn left. The walk then continues past another trail on the left. The walk continues over a stream crossing with Bear Swamp on the right. The trail will come to another intersection with a path to the left, a trail into a small meadow to the right and a trail straight ahead. Continue straight ahead up a hill curving to the left. Pass a trail on the right and continue over the hill down to a path that leads to Brewer Pond. As you approach the pond, stay on the path along the edge of the pond. The pond has attractions for all seasons such as frogs, turtles and water birds. The path along the pond meets two trails on the left at a junction with a map kiosk. Continue right towards the entrance kiosk, with the meadow on the left and woods on the right. At the entry kiosk turn right back to the parking area.
Recommended Trail Activities: Running, Walking, Hiking, Trail Biking Length: 1.2 Route Type: Trail (Narrow), Path (Medium) Difficulty (Grade/Surface): Moderate Parking: Adequate Dog Restrictions: Allowed Ancillary Activities: Cross-country skiing, Snowshoeing, Birding, Fishing (license may be required), Hunting (permission may be required), Camping (permission may be required), Picnic, Natural Features, Historic Sites
