Hill-Ross Stables

You'll have The Stables at the Historic Hill-Ross Homestead. Post and Beam built circa 1880 with vaulted ceilings and an open floor plan, comfortable interiors, park like surroundings and a convenient 5 minute walk into downtown Florence. 1st floor showcases kitchen, dining room, laundry room, mudroom, sitting room, living room and full bath. The lofts house a play room, office and closet. The space Hill Ross Homestead houses 3 residential units and 2 workshops. As there are other tenants who share this 2+ acre property and we ask all our guests to be courteous of one another while enjoying its peaceful, park-like setting along the Mill River. The historic Hill-Ross Farm is listed on the National Historic Registry for being a stop along the Underground Railroad, along with other attributes. Hill-Ross Homestead features a 19th-century farmhouse (circa 1820)- the home for two important figures in the abolitionist movement, Samuel Lapham Hill and Austin Ross. Samuel Hill purchased the farm in 1841 from the Northampton Silk Company. In 1842, Hill and others founded the Northampton Association of Education and Industry, an organization with strong abolitionist views. The Association chose to locate in the Broughton’s Meadow (now Florence) section of Northampton due to the community’s thriving silk industry. Free laborers, rather than enslaved workers, produced silk, increasing the industry’s popularity among abolitionists. The Association’s property, including the Hill-Ross Farm, provided a store, school, common eating area and living space for its members. Because of the strong presence of the Association and silk manufacturers, Northampton became a haven for African Americans and abolitionists. Northampton proper often served as a stop for fugitive slaves traveling to Canada, and Association members encouraged fugitives’ permanent settlement. Guest access Beyond private access to everything within the Stables, we welcome our guests to enjoy the surrounding grounds. Please refrain from entering any other buildings on the property. Hill-Ross Homestead is bordered by the beautiful Mill River with access to swimming, wading, fishing and birding directly to the shore from our back yard via a short steep woodsy path. The community gardens with a farm stand are directly across the street and the Florence Fields are adjacent to the property with acres of grass fields, a running track, playground and baseball diamonds to enjoy as well. Hop on the bike path right outside your door and explore the local and surrounding areas from an extensive network of paved trails. Pedal-assisted bicycles can be rented by the hour from a small depot just up the street at the historic Lilly Library.