September 1, 2026 story and Photos by Cam Cyr
After generations of keeping Hersey Farm private, the Hersey family opened its gates to the Hingham community on Aug. 15, welcoming local veterans for the first public event at the historic property.
The event gave visitors a rare look at the farm’s collection of 18th- and 19th-century buildings, historic vehicles and artifacts, while allowing the Herseys to share a property that has remained in their family for generations.
“You’re the first people that we’ve opened the place up to the public,” said Peter Hersey, a 10th-generation Hersey. “We are very happy to open.”
The Hersey family chose veterans for the first event because military service has played a significant role in the family’s history. Farm founder Reuben Hersey served as a fifer during the American Revolution, and about 20 members of the Hingham Hersey family served during the Revolution.
That tradition continued through World War II, when several members of the family served, including Peter’s father, Reuben Hersey, and uncle John Hersey, who participated in the D-Day invasion. Peter’s brother Paul served in Vietnam, while Peter served in the National Guard.
The veterans explored the property in small groups, rotating through five stops where docents explained the history behind the buildings and collections. Every 10 minutes, a bell signaled the groups to move to the next stop.
The bell itself carried some family history. Hersey used his grandmother’s bell, which she once rang to call her children inside for dinner, to signal when it was time for each group to move.
Among the items on display were a 1915 Model T Ford, a 1934 Indianapolis race car and a 1947 Ford Farmall tractor.
For some visitors, the biggest surprise was simply discovering what had been preserved on the property.
Hersey said he heard visitors call the farm “simply amazing” and “one of a kind,” while others told him, “I never knew this existed in Hingham.”
“The most moving part of the day was when every veteran said, ‘Thank you for doing this, it meant a lot to me,’” Hersey said.
The event also gave visitors a look at the work that has gone into preserving the property.
Hersey purchased the farm in 2005 with the help of his late sister, brother and wife. He has since worked with longtime friend Peter Bickford to restore the buildings and preserve their historic character.
The two attended school together in Hingham and have known each other for most of their lives. Bickford also has a family connection to the property: his great-great-grandfather married a Hersey before the Civil War.
“Twenty-two years ago, we started talking about the Hersey Farm and its restoration and growth,” Bickford said. “We slowly and meticulously started our journey to restore the property.”
Their work began with the Reuben Hersey Toy and Box Shop before moving to the house, barn and other outbuildings. Bickford contributed original Hingham pine boards, nails, bricks, doors and other materials to the restoration.
The Toy and Box Shop is one of the property’s most significant pieces of history. Hersey said it is the last surviving preindustrial toy shop in the country and where the American toy industry began. The farm also contains Revolutionary-era artifacts, including canteens made by Hingham coopers that were shipped to Lexington and Concord before the fighting began.
The Aug. 15 event kicked off a series of gatherings planned at the farm over the next year as the Hersey family celebrates the property’s history and the nation’s 250th anniversary.
The Women’s Fellowship of the First Baptist Church will visit on Wednesday, Sept. 2, followed by the Classic Thunderbirds of New England on Sept. 20.