Scenes from the Baker Estate The Baker Estate, or Ridge Hill Farms, was located on 800 acres along Grove Street, near the western border of Needham. The estate was owned by William Emerson Baker, a Boston merchant who made a fortune by selling sewing machines in the 1850s. Mr Baker sold his business in 1868, and purchased his land in Needham as a summer residence. Over the next twenty years, he built more than 100 buildings and other attractions for the amusement and education of himself, his friends, and the public.
Mr Baker was a supporter of several progressive causes, and spent his time and money to help them succeed. He helped to establish the Museum of Natural History (now the Museum of Science), the Museum of Fine Arts, and the Boston Aquarium. He was active in such causes as the Reconcilition of the North and South after the Civil War, the education of women, and the establishment of a Public Health Service.
The picture at the top shows Sabrina Lake. Sabrina is an artificial lake, which Baker hired men to dig for him. He decorated it with fountains, statues, bridges, and a boat house. He had two boats which he used to sail on the lake. The picture below is of the luxurious Hotel Wellesley. The Hotel had 200 guest rooms and a dining room that could seat over 600 people. Baker purchased this building at the Phildelphia Expostition of 1876, took it apart and rebuilt it in Needham. The picture at the bottom shows the Norino Tower, which Baker used for exhibits on science and industry.
For more pictures and information about the Baker Estate, see Clean . Your . Plate!
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