The Rochester Land Trust has launched a fundraising campaign to restore the stone walls at “George’s Pony Pasture” on Mattapoisett Road. The campaign has raised $16,000 so far, $8000 from Land Trust members and another $8000 from an anonymous donor who offered to match every dollar raised, up to $10,000. Masons began work on the wall this past weekend, and will continue through November, weather permitting.
The property is named after philanthropist and town legend George Church, whose pony often grazed in the field beyond the wall. George passed away in 2014 at the age of 90. The Rochester Land Trust acquired three properties from George by virtue of “bargain sales”, where land is purchased for less than market value. All three properties offer the iconic landscapes that are indicative of the rural character that the Land Trust seeks to preserve. While only three acres in size, George’s Pony Pasture has over 1,000 feet of road frontage, bounded by dry field stone walls front and back.
Russ Keeler, Treasurer at the RLT, opined “not only does this project enhance Rochester’s rural character and honor George Church himself, but it also honors the now forgotten craftsmen who originally built this wall. It boggles the mind to consider the amount of effort expended to clear the field and build this wall, especially before the age of mechanized equipment. We are heartened by and grateful for the close to 50 townspeople who have supported this project so far.”
It is not too late to support this project. “It is unrealistic to think we can fix the entire wall, front and back, but the more money we raise, the more of it will be restored”, said Keeler. Contributions may be made to the RLT at PO Box 337, Rochester, MA 02770, or by using the PayPal link on their website at www.rochesterlandtrust.org.