Program

NYS Historic

Subject

House, Site

Location

8394 Boston State Rd, Boston, NY 14025, USA

Lat/Long

42.655402782192, -78.746312671698

Grant Recipient

Town of Boston

In the 1830s John Anthony Sr., a local government official and farmer, bought a 290-acre tract of farmland in Boston, New York. Along with his wife and ten children, Anthony settled on the property and created a successful farming operation with extensive apple orchards. After John Anthony Sr. passed away in 1890, over 150 acres of property was sold off by a court order enacted by a previous land dispute. John Anthony Jr. was deeded the land in 1889, and by 1909, he only owned 105 acres of the original property. Anthony Jr. lived on the property with his wife Adelaide Goodspeed and their six children.

The farm was passed down once again to Anthony Jr.’s son, Lauren C. Anthony, who with his wife, transformed the family home into a summer boarding house. The Anthonys opened the house to the public in 1917. The Anthony Homestead was advertised as an “ideal vacation spot” and “unexcelled for rest and recreation”. Vacationers could call Mrs. L. C. Anthony, the manager, to reserve a room. The Homestead’s location at the heart of the Boston Valley was perfect for vacationers from Western New York, as Buffalo was only 18 miles away. The farm’s idyllic scenery of hills, valleys, woods, and streams allowed guests to picnic, swim, and camp on the property. Advertisements for the “summer resort” also touted fresh vegetables, fruit, eggs, and milk from the farm. “Special Sunday chicken dinners” were additionally available upon phone request. The Anthony Homestead operated until 1928, when it was closed to the public.