Sarah's Path


Sarah’s Path was named in honor of Sarah Farnham, who was the wife of Edward Farnham. Sarah was born in 1843; and she and Edward married sometime in the mid-1860s. They moved to Prudence Island shortly after Edward and his father, Welcome Farnham, purchased the farm from Elizabeth Dennis in 1869. Sarah and Edward had three children, Rosiland, Harold, and also Ralph, who was the father of Todd and Harris Farnham. Sarah Farnham had a lifelong interest in nature, especially flowering plants and trees. During the 1890s, the farmhouse was expanded with the addition of a three-story west wing. At that time, the Farnhams planned to open the farmhouse as a bed and breakfast, or inn, as other island farmers had done, to accommodate visitors to the island. The property underwent other improvements at the time, including Sarah’s Path. The path was created over time, from 1896 to about 1907, and was designed to connect the north orchard with the south orchard and other fields; and to provide a pleasant stroll for farm guests. The path was lined with trees, shrubs and flowering plants that were popular in the Victorian Era. But Sarah’s Path was never finished, as the Farnhams left the island sometime shortly after the death of Edward Farnham in 1907. They moved from Prudence Island to Cuba, where they managed a sugar plantation for a number of years, and the farm at Prudence was rented to a family named Hull from Jamestown. Now, all that remains of the path are two rows of trees, primarily Norway and Sycamore Maples, but also including Black Locust and at least one Catalpa. Home Page

Sarah’s Path was named in honor of Sarah Farnham, who was the wife of Edward Farnham. Sarah was born in 1843; and she and Edward married sometime in the mid-1860s. They moved to Prudence Island shortly after Edward and his father, Welcome Farnham, purchased the farm from Elizabeth Dennis in 1869. Sarah and Edward had three children, Rosiland, Harold, and also Ralph, who was the father of Todd and Harris Farnham.

Sarah Farnham had a lifelong interest in nature, especially flowering plants and trees. During the 1890s, the farmhouse was expanded with the addition of a three-story west wing. At that time, the Farnhams planned to open the farmhouse as a bed and breakfast, or inn, as other island farmers had done, to accommodate visitors to the island. The property underwent other improvements at the time, including Sarah’s Path. The path was created over time, from 1896 to about 1907, and was designed to connect the north orchard with the south orchard and other fields; and to provide a pleasant stroll for farm guests. The path was lined with trees, shrubs and flowering plants that were popular in the Victorian Era. But Sarah’s Path was never finished, as the Farnhams left the island sometime shortly after the death of Edward Farnham in 1907. They moved from Prudence Island to Cuba, where they managed a sugar plantation for a number of years, and the farm at Prudence was rented to a family named Hull from Jamestown.

Now, all that remains of the path are two rows of trees, primarily Norway and Sycamore Maples, but also including Black Locust and at least one Catalpa.

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