Welton Farm (112-65): Cultural Landscape Inventory, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, National Park Service

The Allen Welton Farm, located in Boston Township, Ohio, is one of the many historic farms remaining in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The property was listed in the National Register of Historic Places (NR) in 1979 for its agricultural and architectural significance. However, the nomination’s focus was largely limited to the built environment, with the NR boundary for the Welton Farmstead consisting of approximately three acres of property containing a house, a barn, and a milk house. For the purpose of the CLI, the boundary includes the original plot lines of approximately 65 acres, including the farmstead and outbuildings, agricultural fields, and a pond associated with orchard farming. The period of significance for the Welton Farm landscape begins in 1852, when the barn was constructed, and extends to 1945 when the property ceased operating as a dairy farm. The farm is significant for its association with agricultural development in the Cuyahoga Valley during the 19th century, as changes in technology, transportation, and population led to the rise of scientific farming and market production. The Ohio & Erie Canal influenced the farm industry and settlement patterns, enabling agricultural products to be moved more efficiently. The Welton Farm became a robust dairy operation and cheese factory, representing the shift from subsistence farming to market farming that followed the 1827 arrival of the canal. The site historically served as both a residence and a farm for its owners. The farmstead features a loose cluster of buildings, common to 19th century farms in the region. The Welton House was constructed in 1854 by Allen Welton, a settler from New York State. Originally constructed in the Gothic Revival style, the house was remodeled in the 1950s, and a one-and-a-half story addition was added along the north side of the house. The raised-bank barn was built in 1852 and is characteristic of agricultural building styles common throughout the Cuyahoga Valley. The milk house was added to the farmstead around 1940 and provides evidence of the farm’s historic function. The house is set back from the road approximately 70 feet, and the barn is located northeast of the house and is accessed by a dirt driveway. The west, north, and east sides of the property are encompassed by an encroaching forest, creating a wooded delineation around the remaining agricultural fields. There are several trees and shrubs throughout the curtilage of the house. The trees, mostly oaks and maples, appear to be the result of natural succession with few deliberate plantings. There is a rhododendron along the east elevation of the house. Historically, the northern portion of the property was used for crop production. The property was sold to the National Park Service in 1980. As part of the Countryside Initiative Program, the farm has been stabilized and assigned to a long-term lessee to actively and routinely maintain the property, returning it to agricultural use. Despite changes to the landscape, the property as a whole retains a moderate level of integrity due to its setting and continuing association with agricultural activities in the rural river valley.

Welton Farm (112-65): Cultural Landscape Inventory, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, National Park Service

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