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 1.1 mile Meadow Brewer pond Loop walk goes on a counterclockwise loop from the information kiosk, around the hill in the middle of the meadow and then on an upland loop to the far end of Brewer Pond and back along the pond to a southerly trail to the parking lot.

The route begins at the parking lot at 165 Hobart Street and heads north through the gully to a large kiosk with information about the property and the More and Brewer families. From the kiosk the route continues up to the top of the hill in the meadow. At the top of the hill is a commemorative stone dedicated to Dr. and Mrs. Wilmon Brewer’s gift of the property to the Town in 1980. The route turns right (east) and makes a counterclockwise loop around the edge of the meadow with trees and hills on the right and the meadow on the left. Near the west end of the meadow the route turns left (south) before meeting a low lying area. With the low area on the right the route continues to a cart path. At the juncture there is a map kiosk and several paths. The route takes the path on the right into the woods with Larches on the right. When the path crosses a ditch that is seasonally wet, the route turns left (south) and continues through the woods. In a short distance the route goes left again after meeting another path. After walking further in the woods, the route goes right upon coming to another path. The route then crosses a stream and comes to a junction with another map kiosk. Take a sharp left and walk along Brewers Pond with the pond on the right. The path crosses a small culvert with a stream flowing west towards Fresh River. Here there is an opportunity to enjoy views of the pond, waterfowl, turtles and frogs and lilies. At the end of the pond the route turns right onto a trail on the east edge of the pond. The trail follows the edge of the pond then turns left toward the parking lot. At the end of the trail turn right onto the path back to the parking lot.

more brewer park

Recommended Trail Activities: Running, Walking, Trail Biking Length: 1.1 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

more brewer park
more brewer park
more brewer park