Francis Farm Celebrates 125 Years

Francis Farm has always been a popular destination in Rehoboth for all kinds of special occasions. Since 1890, when the first clambake was held, Francis Farm has hosted a multitude of public clambakes, family outings, corporate events, weddings, school functions, fundraisers and more.  This year Francis Farm is celebrating its 125th anniversary and they will be marking the milestone with a few special events this summer. “It’s exciting,” said Ken Foley. Foley has owned Francis Farm for 11 years and he and his wife Linda and sons Ken Jr., Kevin and Keith run the facility.

HISTORY

Francis Farm has a rich history in town. It has been family owned and operated since it first opened. The Francis family homesteaded the farm in 1820 and in 1890 Peleg Francis started cooking up clam bakes. Although it was once a working farm, the land was not ideal for planting and Francis turned the Farm into an event venue.
Francis’ first clambake was for the Goff Gathering. The Goff family, headed by Captain Shubael Goff and Sally Briggs Goff, who were married in1805, and their descendants started an annual family gathering in the late 1800’s that was held in various locations. According to a booklet put together for the Goff Gathering’s 100th anniversary, “In 1887 the Gathering really decided that a clambake was the only proper meal and the decision has never been altered, for which all are duly thankful.”

In 1917, Francis Farm became the permanent site of the Goff Gathering and with the exception of one year, the annual get together has been held at Francis Farm ever since. “They still come. They come every August and have a big clambake,” Foley said. That first Goff clambake at Francis Farm was so popular that more and more people started coming and to this day Francis Farm is widely known for its clambakes and especially, for its clam cakes and chowder. (Francis Farm still uses Peleg’s Original Clam Chowder recipe.)

The Goffs aren’t the only guests who return year after year to Francis Farm.  “We have parties that have been coming here for 60 or 70 years,” Foley said. One of the groups is the Sons of the Irish Kings, who hold an event with 400 or 500 people every year. The Rhode Island Builders Association and Providence Jewelers have also been coming for about 50 years, says Foley. “One thing about Francis Farm is the quality of the food has never changed. Very few facilities still put on a traditional, old-fashioned clambake. That hasn’t changed for 125 years,” Foley said. “We still use the same recipes for chowder and clam cakes that they did back in 1890,” he added. After Peleg Francis died, his son William Francis took over the Farm in the 1900’s and ran it until 1958.

FRANCIS FARM TODAY & YESTERDAY

Foley’s relatives, the Taylor family, and Foley’s grandfather, Frank Miller, purchased the farm in 1958. Foley was just a boy then and he remembers working as a dishwasher, bus boy and maintenance worker at the Farm.  Foley purchased the Farm in 2004 and over the years, has remodeled most of the buildings. But it still retains the country charm it had when the first clambake was fired up.

Francis Farm now serves about 20,000 people a year from all over southeastern Massachusetts, Rhode Island and farther. Three United States Presidents have eaten at the Farm – John Kennedy, Harry Truman and Franklin Roosevelt.

Over the years, some things at Francis Farm have changed and others have stayed the same. “Times have changed. We don’t do as many corporate outings, but we do over 40 weddings a year and birthdays, reunions, and fundraisers,” Foley said. Other changes include an expanded menu and a new sweet shop that was opened in 2004.“We’re famous for our barbecue chicken. We cater to different needs of different patrons. We offer barbecue chicken to Italian buffet to steak. All the food is prepared and cooked on site. The chowder and clam cakes are all made from scratch and we use fresh, native clams,” Foley said.

Most people who grew up in the area have either worked at, or attended at least one event, at Francis Farm over the years.  “You talk to anybody, especially the older generation, and they’ve all been to Francis Farm,” Foley said. The Farm is the largest employer in the town of Rehoboth, says Foley, employing between 50-60 staff during the summer months.

Guests return for the food, the atmosphere and the variety of offerings at the Farm. Every year, Francis Farm hosts four public clambakes which are always well-attended. One of the amenities is that there is a full range of activities for kids including basketball, bocce, horseshoes, and a full softball field. Francis Farm also has a 7,000 sq. ft. museum with antique cars, tractors and other tools and supplies. “There’s always plenty to do at the farm, for young and old,” Foley said.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Francis Farm is also known for its support of many community organizations. It hosts more than 12 fundraisers a year, including events for Ronald McDonald House and the Sgt. Kyle Harrington Memorial Bike Run. 

When Community Autism Resources (CAR), a community service organization in Swansea that assists families affected by autism, was looking for a new venue last year for its annual fundraiser “Hearts and Hands Walk-a-thon and Family Fun Day,” they looked at more than a dozen venues before settling on Francis Farm.  After holding the walk for 10 years at Bristol Community College in Fall River, the Hearts and Hands Walk was held at Francis Farm for the first time in 2014. Walk Coordinator Crystal Medeiros says that Francis Farm was extremely helpful and welcomed them with open arms. “I can’t say enough nice things about Odete Lacourse, the event planner, and Ken Foley. They were absolutely accommodating, making sure we had everything we needed. They went above and beyond what they needed to do for us,” Medeiros said.
Medeiros said reconfiguring the event and the walk, after having been in one place for 10 years, was an overwhelming task, but Francis Farm helped make it easier.
Medeiros said she is grateful for Francis Farm’s assistance in making other connections in town to help her put together a safe walk for the families and children that work with CAR.

After the walk, participants had nothing but positive feedback about Francis Farm itself and the staff, says Medeiros.
“We’re grateful for the friendships we formed at Francis Farm and we’re looking forward to continuing to work with them. We applaud them for not only what they did for us, but also how they always step up for the community and help many organizations and causes,” Medeiros said.

ANNIVERSARY EVENTS

This summer, to celebrate its 125th year, Francis Farm is hosting several special events. For the first time, the farm will be open to the public every Sunday from May to September from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. Clam cakes and chowder will be available as well as a full menu featuring hamburgers, hot dogs and weekly specials. There will also be a cash bar. The arcade will be open and visitors can enjoy volleyball, basketball, bocce, horseshoes and more. Barbecue chicken will also be served hot off the pit three times daily. “Come and spend the day and relax and have fun,” invites Foley.

Francis Farm’s big anniversary party “Francis Farm Celebrates 125 Years Family and Community Day” will be held on June 7 and the community is invited to help them celebrate. Francis Farm will be open to the public all day from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Chowder and clam cakes will be free all day. There will be outdoor games for kids and the arcade will be open. Live music will entertain visitors. The Rehoboth Fire and Police Departments will be on hand, displaying public safety vehicles. NECTA, which regularly holds events at the Farm, will be displaying antique tractors and running tractor pulls. Movies will be shown outdoors at night. It’s all free of charge.

“It’s the 125th. We want to bring the whole community together. Hopefully we’ll have a good day,” Foley said. And the Foleys plan to continue the Francis Farm tradition for many years.