Time Line - Grand View Farm (Burlington, MA)

Time Line for Marion Tavern

Compiled by K. Horton
from John Edward Fogelberg’s Burlington, Part of a Greater Chronicle
and other sources.

         1764     Solomon Trull owns land.

         1770     Solomon Trull builds salt-box style house and farms on the land.

         1809     Abner Marion is born, the 3rd of 6 children of Martha and John Cutler Marion,
                       in their farmhouse on Winn Street.

         1834     Abner purchases the future Marion Tavern property from his future brother-in-law,
                       Nathan Prescott.

                       Abner marries Sarah Prescott, Nathan’s sister. The Prescott’s were from Concord
                       and were relatives of Dr. Samuel Prescott who rode with Paul Revere on the
                       night of April 19, 1775.

         1840     Around this year, Abner Marion purchases the property next door to his house that
                       was owned by his cousin, Solomon Trull. He joines his cousin’s circa 1770
                       saltbox house to his newer house. He builds a new blacksmith’s shop across
                       the street on the corner of the common where his cousin’s shop had been.

1842-1850    Abner, Sarah and their seven children run the Marion Tavern as a stagecoach stop
                       used for horse-changing. The Tavern is located at the half-way point on the Boston
                       to Lowell journey.

         1850     The stagecoach stop closes as train travel becomes a more comfortable and
                       faster means of transportation.

         1858     Abner Marion dies.

         1870     Charles McIntire purchases the Marion Tavern and renames it, “The Grand View
                       Farm.” He and his wife have two sons, Wilbur and Walter. The farm becomes a
                       successful milk route and market garden, specializing in corn and squash.

         1908     Charles McIntire dies. His son, Walter takes over the farm and continues to live
                       there with his wife and children.

         1929     Walter’s daughter, Mary Bernice, marries Gove Sleeper. The couple live at
                       the farm.

         1939     Walter McIntire deeds adjacent property to the town for a new high school. His
                       son-in-law, Gove Sleeper, is a member of the school building committee.

         1951     Charles McIntire’s granddaughter, Mary Bernice and her husband, Gove Sleeper
                       become owners of the Grand View Farm. Having no children, they convert house
                       space into three apartments that are rented out.

         1979     Hubert and Ann Ruping purchase the Grand View Farm from the Sleepers.

         1999     The Ruping Builders initiates a process to develop an apartment complex at
                       the site.

         2001     Ruping Builders, the Gutierrez Company and the Town of Burlington join together
                       for a three-way land swap. The Town acquires the Grand View Farm.

         2004     The large barn is taken down using hand methods. The timbers are saved
                       for future use.

         2009     The small barn is removed. Phase I is completed, restoring the structure and exterior
                       of the main house.

         2010     Students from Shawsheen Tech begin house electrical, HVAC, plumbing and
                       carpentry work. This Phase II work is continuing.

         2011     Phase III, the small barn reconstruction is begun.