Caryl Farm
Fisher Barn
Farm Machinery and Agriculture Tools
Situated on the grounds of the Caryl Farm is the Fisher Barn, relocated from its original site at 6 Centre Street when that property was redeveloped in 1997. While it is difficult to date the barn with certainty, it too was probably constructed around 1774 and presently houses the Society’s collection of tools and early agricultural implements. In addition, the Barn is home to one of the Society’s recent restoration projects, a 1926 McCormick & Deering No. 4 horse drawn manure spreader originally used on another Dover farm at 46 Springdale Avenue.
Caryl House
Period Lifestyle Displays
Built in 1774, in the Georgian style, the Benjamin Caryl House served as home to the Caryl family until 1928. Unlike most surviving structures of the period, the house has never been basically altered or modernized, so it may be seen today in close to original form with furnishings appropriate to the period, including some which belonged to the Caryl family. The house retains many First Period characteristics such as its center chimney, hall (dining and living room), parlor, kitchen with hearth and beehive oven, and parlor chamber.
and was played in The Dover Church
to aid the congregation in singing
What’s “On View”
Just a few of the many collections on view at Caryl Farm
The Caryl House style reflects the evolution from traditional First Period houses to the newer Georgian style. Those interested in the architecture of historic homes appreciate the abundant period details as well as the interesting history of the original family who built it.
A reimagined interior of the house reflects different moments in the life of the Caryl family.
The Parlor
In the parlor, it is July, 1818 and Reverend Caryl’s son, Dr. George Caryl (Dover’s first doctor) has just set down his reading glasses and stepped away from the desk at which he was reading the latest news of President Monroe. A portrait of George Washington, dead for only 19 years, hangs above his desk.
The Hall
In the Hall visitors see the room in 1777, moments after the family have finished their mid-day meal, with Reverend Caryl’s handwritten 12-page sermon for the day sitting on his desk.
The Kitchen
The kitchen, which was never updated, reflects life in the heart of the home, with all the utensils needed for any meal.
The Parlor Chamber
Upstairs in the parlor chamber, the Caryls have awakened, and Reverend Caryl has completed his morning toilet and shave.
The “Borning Room”
Just off the kitchen is the “borning room” where mothers gave birth and could rest while keeping an eye on the kitchen. This room has been redressed as Dr. George Caryl’s infirmary, with his medical instruments on display. Visitors will see the infirmary shortly after Dr. Caryl has bled a patient to balance their humors.
Chamber Room
The adjacent room is dedicated to the home’s last occupant, Ellen Miller. A gifted artist, many of Miller’s cut paper works are on display in this bedroom.
The Fisher Barn presently houses the Society’s collection of tools and early agricultural implements
FARM PLOW
The plow believed to be the one Aaron Whiting was using the morning of April 14, 1775, which he abandoned in the field to answer the call to arms, and which was the story used by Daniel Chester French in his sculpture of the Minuteman Statue at North Bridge, standing next to his plow.
AGRICULTURE TOOLS
The Fisher Barn presently houses the Society’s collection of tools and early agricultural implements. They showcase the effort required for day-to-day living and sustenance in a time gone by. It doesn’t take long before one realizes that life was hard, even for the well-to-do.
MANURE SPREADER
A restored and fully operational 1924 McCormick and Deering No. 4 Manure Spreader, which has spent its entire life in Dover. Manure spreaders were an important tool and with the advent of mechanized farming, these spreaders greatly lightened the burden of the ordinary farmer.
