Martha Butterfield

The Land in Our Hands - Burley-Demeritt Farm in Lee, Nh: its History Martha Butterfield

The story of the Burley-Demeritt Farm in Lee, NH spans over 250 years and is told in six sections with over 260 photos and illustrations. The farm was owned by seven generations of the Burley, Furber and Demeritt families before it was purchased by the University of New Hampshire in 1969 and is now operated by UNH as an organic dairy farm. Part I covers its history, dating back to the early 1700's. Parts II and III feature 86 short stories about Della Demeritt's memories of growing up on the Farm in the early 20th century and her children's remembrances of living there in the 1940's. Part IV covers UNH's continuing involvement with the Farm's operation and ongoing efforts by the surrounding community to restore the deteriorating farmhouse. Part V provides a brief section on the genealogy of the three families connected with the Farm's history. Part VI describes the history of the Burley-Demeritt Farmhouse, including a layout of its rooms with numerous photos of its interior as it existed in 2010.