Yesterday, a prospective Eagle Scout recruited other Boy Scouts and parents to help out clearing a trail and old foundation walls at the old Cherry Brook Farm– aka the Merriam Barn near the Brush Dump on Merriam Street. During four hours, the invasives –bittersweet vines choking young trees, buckthorn, and a thicket of who-knows-what–were dealt death blows by loppers, chainsaws, and the youthful energy of just a few good yanks. The Owl visited before the work began, during the work, and then as the sun set this evening. The newly-bared walls and connections and doorways now stir the imagination and wonder of what it once was, and still is. As one of the largest barns in Middlesex County in the late 19th century, its foundations still mind-boggle.

As you probably know, the Owl has been obsessed with this ruin for a long time, writing about it here as well as sending emails to various town titans to try to rally support to rescue the foundations from invasives and the forgetfulness of the generations between me and Herbert Merriam, who built the barn in 1876. I never got traction. I admit I pretty much gave up. And then, someone else moved it along–he came to his own obsession with the ghost of Weston past and made it happen.

Holden (and a few friends and a WFTA trustee) cleared one wall a couple of months ago…but wanted more. He followed through with an Eagle Scout proposal and attended two town Committee meetings (two more than probably 50% of this town has ever attended), presented his plan, got the buy-in, and finally yesterday, he recruited helpers and led the clearing of this amazing place. He has also spurred the interest of many–one long-time Planning Board member stated at the Historical Commission that he had long known about the Merriam Barn but never knew where it was. Well, you can’t miss it now. Soon a forever sign will go into place so all who pass by will know about Herbert Merriam’s magnificent barn.

My gratitude today is for this generation for its energetic, focused kids who are the change they want to see in the world–and Weston. And for Holden, who has rescued this piece of Weston history from the weeds which obscured it.

Weston’s generation next.