House restored                                              House before restoration

Baum Farm History

This beautiful farm stretches between Mt Monadnock in the west  and Connecticut river on the east.  Since this property was first settled, it has always been a farm.  We are very proud of its history and had it researched by the local Canaan Historical Society.  Our property was the first legally settled piece of property in the town of Canaan, initially called the “Bradley Pitch”, settled in 1787.  The farm had a cabin and barn.  “Lot one of the First Division of the Town of Canaan” was purchased by the Honorable Judge Jesse Cooper in 1798.  The post and beam colonial house that we currently live in was built by the Cooper family in 1820.  During that time we are not sure what was raised on the farm.  A large drive through carriage horse barn was built so it is probable they raised horses and grew grain for them.  Horses were important to the lumber companies to transport the lumber out of the woods.  In the 1850s after two generations of Coopers, the farm became the Darling Farm.

In 1888, it was purchased by George Van Dyke (the famous logger, timberland owner and millionaire President of the Connecticut Valley Lumber Co.).  He then, in 1889, deeded the farm to his sister, Lucy Vancore.  The Vancore family lived here for many years.

After the Vancores, the farm became a dairy farm with several owners in the 20^th century.  The original 400 acres slowly changed over the years to 182 acres with several owners which were the Corliss farm, the Grondin farm and the Bushy farm.