From its 18th century beginnings as an important stagecoach stop, to its 19th century immortalization by poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, to Henry Ford’s expansion and historic preservation of the property as a living museum of American history in the 20th century, The Wayside Inn offers the 21st century visitor a unique window into over 300 years of American history.

The nine historic structures on our property and under our care include:

• Longfellow’s Wayside Inn, the original parts of which date back to 1702 as the How family home.
• The Grist Mill, built in 1929 by Henry Ford as an operating mill.
• The Martha-Mary Chapel, built in 1940 by Henry Ford and named after his mother and mother-in-law.
• The Redstone Schoolhouse, built in 1798 and believed to be the schoolhouse of “Mary Had a Little Lamb” fame.
• The Old Barn, built in the early 1800s by the How family.
• The Ice House, dating from the 1930s and built by Henry Ford to store harvested ice.
• The Cider Mill, built by Henry Ford in 1930 to hold a cider press for apple processing.
• The Gate House (or Coach House), built in 1913 by owner Edward R. Lemon from reclaimed Colonial-era timbers for storing of stagecoaches.
• The Cold Storage (Root) Cellar, an underground facility built by Henry Ford for produce processing and storage.

Our majestic 100+ acre property features lush meadows, grassy fields, pine forests, babbling brooks, and beautiful ponds making it a peaceful and idyllic New England landscape seemingly lost in time. Explore our beautiful grounds with our trail map or enjoy a picnic on the lawn in front of the stone Grist Mill, listening to the rush of its soothing waterfall.

While private property, The Wayside Inn Historic Site is free to access and enjoy and is maintained by The Wayside Inn Foundation through hospitality revenue and generous support from visitors like you.

Board of Trustees

Since transitioning to a charitable nonprofit in 1944, The Wayside Inn organization (doing business as The Wayside Inn Foundation) has been overseen by an all-volunteer board of trustees. Over the years, our board has been composed of members of the Ford family, notable historians, prominent business executives, and renowned academicians. Our current board is composed local professionals and community volunteers with a passion for the historic property, a commitment to our mission through active committee work, and unique skills and experience that bring extraordinary value to all aspects of our operations. As trustees, it is our privilege to be stewards of this important historic place and valuable community resource. Day-to-day affairs of the organization are managed by both an Innkeeper/General Manager and Director of Community Engagement, both who report to the board.