The Homestead in Middleborough, MA

The annual meeting of EHA being the second Saturday in August

In 1962, descendants of the Eddy Pilgrims of 1630, and other Pioneer Eddys of the 1600's organized the Eddy Homestead Association to preserve this graceful, historic house and use it to display valuable family mementos that have been discovered over the years. Unlike many similar houses, which were originally the abodes of the wealthy aristocracy, the Eddy Homestead represents gracious country living of Zacharlah Eddy, a country lawyer of fine character and practice. The house has been attractively restored since 1962, with many interesting exhibits now on display.

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c 2004

The Homestead is located at the corner of Cedar St. and Plymouth St. in Middleborough Mass.  You can find it on a map program with the address 2 Cedar St, Middleborough, MA 02346

AMERICA'S MOST HISTORIC EDDY HOME
WHERE GENEALOGY ADDS LIFE TO HISTORY
Built in 1803
THE ZACHARIAH EDDY HOMESTEAD

By Sylvia T. Breck

"Located in Eddyville, at the Four Corners, stands the impressive homestead of Zachariah Eddy, built in 1803 by his father, Captain Joshua Eddy, as a wedding present to Zachariah, when he married Sarah Edson, daughter of Polycarpus and Lucy Edson. It was also built as an enticement for Zachariah to move from Plymouth back to paternal land.

When built it stood on "about half or three fourths an acre of land* and the house consisted of four rooms. On this same amount of acreage, Zachariah built the stable and the law office. Over the next few years, he added the kitchen and woodshed, as well as the stone fences. He continually purchased land, mainly from his brothers who had inherited it from their father, Joshua. When completed, Zachariah's land holdings consisted of about 100 acres and according to his Commonplace Record Book he estimated that his total estate had cost him $6000.

Construction in those days was truly from raw material, for not only were the trees felled on the property, but the massive 12x12 beams were all hand hewn at the family's sawmill and the wooden pegs and nails were likewise handmade. Sheer human strength and energy put the beams in place and their uprightness today attests to the quality of the workmanship.

As the Homestead passed to Zachariah's heirs, changes and improvements continued to be made, each enhancing the property or benefiting the needs of the owner.' The library was added; the dining room was extended, a sleeping porch was built above it. Two rooms were added over the carriage shed, back stairs were installed, and in later years one bedroom was reduced in size to make room for a bathroom.

Through all of these changes, the Homestead lost none of its charm, for each owner obviously kept very much in mind the original four rooms which were a foundation for the future. It has known love, life, tragedy, happiness and sadness but through it all came a family united, guided by God."

"There's a story that goes with it!" - is certainly true of the Eddy Homestead. It comes from the Eddy Genealogies that tell of family lore of 400 years ago. And Eddys helped make early history in five nearby towns in eastern Massachusetts, and thereafter in many parts of the U.S.A. Family mementos go back almost 400 years, each with its contribution of history or mystery that ties in with America's own history and growth. The story is there - for a fascinating hour or two, or for years of study.
 

Eddy Homestead Association Leadership