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Untouched land is hard to come by. The Fisher family, with the Greenwich Land Trust, did everything they could to protect their legacy after learning that a field that was once part of their grandfather's estate would be turned into housing property in 1998. The open field on Sabine Farm Road is now known as Fisher Field.
"I would always be in the field, taking care of my horses, and people would always ask me about the field," Alice Fisher said. "I would tell them that this was my grandfather's property. So then I thought, you need to tell these stories. If we don't, we will lose them."
Fisher remembers horseback riding and playing in the fields that surrounded the manor house on Sabine Farm. Her grandfather, Henry J. Fisher, was a general farmer and had a number of cow and hay pastures. The land, purchased in July 1909, stretched from Quail Road to Round Hill Road, covering about 210 acres.
"Granddaddy named the farm because he admired Horace and he had land named Sabine Farm," said Fisher. After his death in 1965, Fisher said most of the land was sold for a housing development.
Fischer said the open field was the first property purchased for the Greenwich Land Trust. "Before, people would just donate the land," she said. "But people gave money to the GLT for the purpose of saving this field." A plaque dedicated to the family was installed in the field in 2005.
"Horses are turned out in the field from June until the end of October," Fisher said. "Every year I call my friends and ask who has some horses they would like to stay in the field. It is like a summer camp for them."
The Greenwich Riding and Trails Association and the land trust also use the field for events in the summer such as stargazing and watching fireworks.
"I love that the story will always be told," she said. "People will always know where it came from."
Let's chat: Do you known any interesting Greenwich history? Leave a comment or send me an email at acorbett@mainstreetconnect.us.Click here to follow Daily Voice Greenwich and receive free news updates.
