• In cooperation with the Town of Dover, authorized bow hunting, only with written permission, is allowed on this reservation for a limited number of hunters, according to MasssWildlife regulations from mid October through December each year, from ½ hour before sunrise all day until ½ hour after sunset Monday through Saturday. Hunting is not allowed on Sundays. Signage is posted at the property listing safety precautions, requirements, and rules for the benefit of all visitors. Learn more about hunting on Trustees reservations >>
  
  
• No more than two dogs per person are permitted.
  
  
• Dogs must be on leash. No dog shall chase, hunt or harass people, wildlife, or other dogs.
  
  
• Do not allow your dog, even if friendly, to approach other dogs or people. They may not desire such contact.
  
  
• Carry out what your dog leaves behind.
  
  
• Dogs are prohibited from the Lower Mill Pond.
  
  
• There is a precipitous drop over the mill pond dam; closely supervise children. 

• A trail improvement plan may result in closure of some trails and establishment of new ones. Follow on-site signage.

• A permit is required to mountain bike at Noanet Woodlands. Download a biking permit form (Word) and biking regulations (Word). Please complete and forward the permit to The Trustees of Reservations, 37 Powisset Street, Dover, MA 02030. You will receive your permit in approximately 2 weeks.
  
  
• Natural gas pipeline not maintained as a trail; please avoid.

The Trustees reserves the right to photograph or video visitors and program participants for promotional use, and usage of our properties implies consent. Find the full policy here.

“Noanet” was likely the name of a chief of the Natick Indians, a tribal group probably affiliated with the Nipmuc and Wampanoag, who camped on this land, fished the Charles River, and hunted along Noanet Brook. Settlers used the present-day Powisset Farm for agriculture as early as 1720. Powisset’s most notable 18th-century farmer was Samuel Fisher, Jr., who was raising livestock and growing hay and corn by the 1790s. While Powisset Farm was arable, owners initially found little use for the granite hills and ledges and lowland brook and swamp of the adjacent woodlands.

Fisher was the first to look at Noanet Brook and see the potential for industry. He built a sawmill along the banks and did a booming business in the 1820s and 1830s producing building materials for the growing town of Dedham.

In 1815, investors also seeking to harness the power of Noanet Brook falls established the Dover Union Iron Company, and the steep banks of the ravine between Noanet Peak and Strawberry Hill were excavated to make room for a mill. But the company soon fell on hard times and was dissolved by 1840. In 1876, the milldam was breached by a flood and fell into disrepair until 1954, when it was restored. Today, the 24-foot-high dam and opening to the underground tailrace are preserved, but visitors will have to imagine a towering 36-foot overshot wheel that powered the mill.

In the 1830s and 40s, Calvin Richards operated a mill on Noanet Brook on the northeast corner of the property. The site’s shallow slope possibly required an above-ground aqueduct 200 feet long that delivered water from upstream.

In 1923, Miss Amelia Peabody purchased a farm on Dedham Street in Dover. Over the next six decades, she acquired parcels of land stretching south to Powisset Farm, eventually forming an 800-acre estate onto which she invited the public to share her many agricultural and conservation interests. Miss Peabody developed bridle paths throughout the lands she acquired for both herself and the Norfolk Hunt Club. These, and associated fire roads, were meticulously maintained for hiking, horseback riding, and cross-country skiing by the public.

Initially, Miss Peabody used part of her property to stable thoroughbred horses for show, sale, hunting, and riding. By the end of World War II, she had acquired a herd of Hereford cattle and a number of Yorkshire pigs, the best specimens of which she entered in livestock shows throughout the region. “Field days” for pig farmers and cattle breeders were frequently held at her farm. She was also interested in food crops, and planted and harvested potatoes and sweet corn. Her interest in conservation led Miss Peabody to plant native species of wildflowers, trees, and shrubs on parts of her estate. To ensure the long-term conservation of her the land, she bequeathed property to both the New England Wildflower Society and The Trustees of Reservations when she died in 1984.

Property Acquisition History
Original acreage a bequest, with endowment, of Amelia Peabody in 1984. Added to previous gifts of Mrs. Henry B. Cabot in 1975 and Henry B. Cabot, Jr. in 1979. Additional land given by Brookfield Estates in 1996.

Management Planning for Our Properties
 


Since 1891, The Trustees have worked to protect special places in Massachusetts and maintain them to the highest standards. To ensure these standards are met, a program of careful planning and sound management is essential. Comprehensive property management plans are created for each reservation and are completely updated approximately every ten years. We often work with volunteers, property users, and members of the community to carry out this planning, which typically involves several steps:
 


• Describing in detail the site’s natural, scenic, and historical resources; identifying management issues related to the protection of those resources. 

• Describing how visitors use the property; outlining the opportunities that the property provides for people to become involved in the work of conservation and caring for their community.

• Developing a detailed list of management recommendations, a work plan, and a description of financial needs for implementing the actions.

• Developing a prescribed routine management program for the reservation that will guide staff work plans, volunteer involvement, and the allocation of human and financial resources.


Photo: R. Smith

Photo: R. Smith