Executive Order No. 29-57 (No. 07-21) [Transfer of Property in Plymouth from Division for Historic Preservation
to Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation]
WHEREAS, one of Vermont’s premiere historic sites, the birthplace and boyhood home
of Calvin Coolidge, also the site of President Coolidge’s swearing in as 30th president
of the United States (the “Coolidge Homestead”), is under the jurisdiction and control
of the Agency of Commerce and Community Development, Department of Housing and Community
Development, Division for Historic Preservation (“DHP”); and
WHEREAS, John Coolidge, the son of Grace and Calvin Coolidge, deeded 386 acres of
the Wilder Farm Property that lies easterly of Route 100-A to DHP on December 4, 1985,
via deed recorded at Vol. 49, Pages 246-248, in the Town of Plymouth Land Records
(the “Wilder Farm Property”), thereby protecting the scenic viewshed of the Coolidge
Homestead; and
WHEREAS, the Agency of Natural Resources, Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation
(“FPR”) maintains 21,500 acres designated as Coolidge State Forest, established in
1925, a significant portion of which abuts the Wilder Farm Property to the east, and
is managed for its recreational and natural resources; and
WHEREAS, DHP and FPR have agreed it is in the best interest of the Coolidge Homestead
and the Wilder Farm Property to transfer the ownership, control and management jurisdiction
of the Wilder Farm Property from DHP to FPR, to add the Wilder Farm Property to the
Coolidge State Forest, thereby improving forest management and conservation, public
access, recreational opportunities, and management of the Wilder Farm Property’s natural
resources for Vermonters, while still ensuring preservation of the viewshed for the
Coolidge Homestead.
NOW THEREFORE, I, Philip B. Scott, by virtue of the power vested in me as Governor
of the State of Vermont, do hereby transfer and set over from the the jurisdiction
and control of DHP, to FPR for its purposes, the following land and premises:
Being all and the same lands and premises conveyed to the State of Vermont, Division
for Historic Preservation by deed of John Coolidge dated December 4, 1985, and recorded
in Volume 49, Page 246-248 of the Plymouth Land Records. Said lands and premises are
described in said deed as follows:
“Parcel No. 1: Being all the same lands and premises conveyed to the said John Coolidge
by deed of James E. Blanchard and Vivian Blanchard dated October 2, 1967 and recorded
in Vol. 30, Page 254 of Plymouth Land Records.
“Parcel No. 2: Being that portion of the same lands and premises conveyed to John
Coolidge by deed of James E. Blanchard and Vivian Blanchard dated January 31, 1964
and recorded in Vol. 30, Page 55. The portion of said premises being conveyed hereby
are all of the premises lying easterly of Route 100-A in said Town of Plymouth as
conveyed by said deed.
The premises conveyed hereby may be described as follows:
“Beginning at an iron pin which iron pin lies in the southerly line of lands now or formerly of Mott and which iron pin marks the northeasterly corner of lands now or formerly of Orth; said iron pin also marks the northwesterly corner of the parcel herein conveyed; thence running S 85° 54’ E along lands of Mott and partially following a stonewall a distance of 1614.2 ft. to an iron pin, a corner; thence running S 05° 53′ W along lands now of the State of Vermont a distance of 995.7 ft. to a concrete post; thence continuing S 06° 52’ W along lands now or formerly of the Town of Plymouth a distance of 2028.5 ft. to an iron pin; thence continuing S 06° 21′ W along lands now or formerly of Sailer Brothers a distance of 2352.7 ft. to an iron pin, the southeasterly corner of the parcel herein conveyed; thence running N 67° 22′ W along lands now or formerly of Szostak a distance of 285.6 ft. to an iron pin; thence continuing along lands of Szostak S 74° 17′ W a distance of 653.2 ft. to an iron pin; thence running N 86° 09′ W along lands now or formerly of Ormsby a distance of 983.7 ft. to an iron pin; thence running S 82° 29′ W along lands of Ormsby a distance of 413.5 ft. to an iron pin, a corner; thence running S 06° 57′ W along lands of Ormsby a distance of 697.6 ft. to an iron pin, a corner; thence running N 83° 24′ W along a wire fence and stonewall a distance of 518.2 ft. to a stonewall corner; thence running N 9° 13′ W along the stonewall and wire fence and lands now or formerly of Bryant a distance of 576.1 ft. to an iron pin; thence running N 43° 24′ W a distance of 288.3 ft. to an iron pin; thence running N 85° 45′ W along a wire fence and stonewall and lands now or formerly of the State of Vermont a distance of 537.8 ft. to the end of said stonewall in the easterly right of way limits of Route 100-A, a corner; thence running generally northerly, northeasterly and easterly along the easterly right of way limits of Route 100-A to an iron pin marking the northwesterly corner of lands now or formerly Olson; thence running S 02° 10′ E along the westerly line of Olson a distance of 142.0 ft. to an iron pin, a corner; thence running N 87° 50′ E along lands of Olson a distance of 350.0 ft. to an iron pin, a corner; thence running N 02° 10′ W along lands of Olson a distance of 142.0 ft. to an iron pin in the southeasterly right of way limits of Route 100-A; thence running generally northeasterly and northerly along the right of way limits of Route 100-A to an iron pin marking the southwesterly corner of lands now or formerly of Orth, a corner; thence running S 63° 41′ E a distance of 143.7 ft. and along lands of Orth to an iron pin in a stonewall, a corner; thence running N 10° 49′ E and partially following a stonewall and lands now or formerly of Orth a distance of 722.5 ft. to an iron pin, the point or place of beginning. Parcel contains 386.0 acres, be the same more or less.”
Meaning and intending to convey hereby all that portion of the former Wilder Farm,
so- called, which lies easterly of Route 100-A which were conveyed to the Grantor
by the two separate deeds which James E. Blanchard and Vivian Blanchard referred herein.”
This Executive Order shall take effect upon execution.
Dated October 27, 2021