In the rural village of New Braintree, idyllic New England autumns are an essential part of life. Apples and Christmas trees grow, cider doughnuts tempt hungry neighbors and farmers sell eggs from a wooden covered stand on the side of the road in this pastoral village. With a population of about 1,000, New Braintree was known for dairy farming, shoe making and blacksmithing in the 19th century and maintains a handful of agricultural businesses today. People here embrace the land. They hike through forested areas, ride their bikes on the rail trail and purchase produce from local farms. “New Braintree is a very small, rural farming community,” says Keith McGuirk, a retired Realtor and chair of the Economic Development Industrial Corporation in nearby Athol. “The state police department has a dispatch center there.”
The rolling hills rise above the Ware River in New Braintree.
New Braintree and the surrounding areas offer room for agriculture and markets.
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A Colonial house in Central Mass
Houses in New Braintree look touched by nature. Colonials and multifamily homes built in 1920 behind white picket fences and farmhouses on acres of pastoral land are typical. Ranch-style houses, split-levels with well-kept shrubbery and colonials with rolling front lawns sit near each other on long, remote country roads. Prices range from about $287,000 to $759,000.
A grand colonial home in New Braintree offers plenty of room for a large family.
The woods at Winimusset
People hike through the woods at the Winimusset Wildlife Management Area and practice their swings at the Hardwick Crossing Country Club, which sits along the Ware River. The club has an 18-hole golf course, and neighbors can purchase yearly memberships. The Mass Central Rail Trail cuts through town and stretches along a portion of the Ware River. Peaches, eggs and seasonal garden vegetables are for sale at Finally Home Farm, and Farmer Matt breeds Angus cows and calves on hundreds of acres. Neighbors can join Heavens Harvest Farm’s Community Supported Agriculture program and get ten weeks of organic produce. Farmers can pick up supplies and feed for their animals at the Hardwick Farmers’ Co-op Exchange.
A round of golf is the perfect afternoon for some New Braintree golfers.
From the Whistle Stop to Kip’s Christmas Tree Farm
New Braintree has no restaurants or grocery stores, but dining and shopping options are nearby. In Hardwick, in a small red brick building, the Whistle Stop Restaurant serves coffee, eggs and pancakes until 2 p.m. daily. Northeast Pizza serves mozzarella sticks, pasta and pizza from a stucco structure 7 miles south in West Brookfield. Grocer Hannaford is 5 miles south in North Brookfield. During the holidays, everyone gets their Christmas tree at Kip’s Christmas Tree Farm, which sells wreaths and roping for festive decorating.
Many orchards and orchard stores serve the New Braintree community.
New Braintree farmers sell their wares at the Hardwick Farmer's Co-op Exchange.
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Quabbin regional school district
New Braintree falls within the Quabbin Regional School District with other rural towns like Barre, Hardwick, Hubbardston and Oakham. Kids can attend Oakham Center School, rated B-minus by Niche, for elementary school. They then move to Quabbin Regional Middle School, which scores a B-minus, and graduate from Quabbin Regional High School, which earns a B.
New Braintree students at Quabbin Regional Middle School practice soccer on the large field.
From the middle of nowhere to the Mass Turnpike
A state-of-the-art law enforcement training facility, the Massachusetts State Police Academy, sits within New Braintree. UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester is 13 miles away. Route 67 runs south to Warren, and drivers can take Route 19 to the Massachusetts Turnpike.
The tiny New Braintree library
At the New Braintree Public Library, small children can attend preschool story time with their parents, adults can join the knitting club and the community participates in Friends of the Library events like book sales.
Written By
Laura Finaldi
Photography Contributed By
Eric Lynch
Video By
Barry Ridgeway
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
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