About Governor Hutchinson's Field

10 acres

Enjoy views of the Neponset River marshes and Boston Harbor from the hilltop site of the estate of the last Massachusetts Colonial governor.

What makes Governor Hutchinson's Field a special place?
We think it's the link to a piece of revolutionary history. In 1734, Gov. Thomas Hutchinson, the last royal Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, built a country estate on Milton Hill. His zealous loyalty to the crown made him an object of popular ridicule in the years leading up to the Revolutionary War, and, in 1774, shortly after the Boston Tea Party, Hutchinson fled to England. The site of his former estate, of which only the ha-ha (sunken fence) survives, boasts spectacular views of the Neponset River and its tidal salt marshes, the Boston skyline, and the Boston Harbor Islands.

From the reservation, you can access the adjacent Pierce Reservation, a four-acre parcel of grassy slopes that runs down to the tidal marshes that border the Neponset River. To get to Pierce Reservation, walk down the hill of open fields and bear right

Trails
A quarter-mile trail runs along the embankment of the Neponset River. Easy walking.

When to Visit
Year-round, daily, sunrise to sunset. Allow a minimum of ½ hour.

Regulations & Advisories

• Mountain biking is not allowed.
  
  
• Please respect the privacy of our neighbor.

Directions

Adams Street
Milton, MA
Telephone: 781.784.0567
E-mail: seregion@ttor.org

Get directions on Google Maps.

From I-93/Rt. 3 South: Take Exit 10 and proceed for 0.2 mi. At stop sign, turn right onto Adams St. and follow for 1.2 mi. to top of Milton Hill; entrance is on the right. From Dorchester: Take Dorchester Avenue to Adams Street and follow up Milton Hill; entrance is on the left.

From I-93/Rt. 3 North: Take Exit 9 and follow Granite Avenue north for 1.5 mi. through two sets of traffic lights. Turn left and drive over Expressway bridge to stop sign. Turn right onto Adams Street and follow for 1.2 mi. to top of Milton Hill; entrance is on the right.

There is no designated parking area and roadside parking is not permitted.

Admission

When to Visit
Year-round, daily, sunrise to sunset. Allow a minimum of 1/2 hour.

Admission
FREE to all

Property History

Governor Thomas Hutchinson was the last Royal Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Born in Boston in 1711 and educated at Harvard, he was a prominent conservative, powerful and devoutly loyal to the British Crown. His over royalist leanings made him the object of public ridicule in the years leading up to the Revolutionary War. He found himself at great odds with the radical revolutionaries (soon to be patriots) of the day, namely Samuel Adams who, with others, mockingly dubbed him “Tommy Skin-and-Bones” Hutchinson presumably because of his gaunt appearance.

In 1743, he built for his family a modest country estate on Milton Hill to escape the city. Hutchinson commissioned Sir Francis Bernard to design his house and gardens. All that remains of the estate today is the field and a “ha-ha” that formed the western boundary of the formal garden; located next to St. Michael’s Church on Randolph Street in Milton, the “ha-ha” is now on the National Register of Historic Places.

In 1774, shortly after the Boston Tea Party, Governor Hutchinson went into exile in England where he died in 1780. Following his departure from Massachusetts, his property and effects were sold at auction. Today his writing desk can be seen at the Milton Public Library. The house was later owned by James Warren whose wife was Mercy Otis Warren, a brave polemist whose satiric sketches and accounts of the Revolutionary War were circulated throughout the colonies. The house was razed in 1946.

Property Acquisition History
Original acreage a gift of John M. Forbes and Mrs. Mary F. Cunningham in 1898. Additional land purchased in 1898. Endowment given by Mrs. Cunningham in 1898 and by Jessie B. Cox Charitable Trust in 1983.

 

Volunteer Opportunities

Work Parties

Maps and Resources

At present, a map is not available for Governor Hutchinson’s Field.

Planning Your Visit

Before You Go
We encourage you to visit as many Trustees properties as you can.

Wherever your travels take you, please observe all posted regulations, follow special instructions from property staff, and keep in mind the Stewardship Code:

• Protect wildlife and plants.
• Guard against all risk of fire.
• Help keep air and water clean.
• Carry out what you carry in.
• Use marked footpaths and bridle paths.
• Leave livestock, crops, and machinery alone.
• Respect the privacy of neighboring land.
• Enjoy and share the landscape with others.

Click on links below for further visitor information:

Before Setting Out

Enjoying Trustees Reservations

Safety

About Hunting on Trustees of Reservations Land

Tell Us What You Think

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