Houlton Farm Planning Committee Meeting 2016-02-02

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2013 (Figure 9) shows a dramatic increase in residential housing having replaced the agricultural fields. In the immediate area of the property, the river channels do not seem to have been altered, though the size and number of islands south of the farm in the Mississippi has changed. Comparing the 1939 and 2013 aerial photos, the water level was much lower, creating a number of smaller islands around what is now the large SNA island to the south of the Houlton property. While this may simply be due to yearly fluctuations, aerial photos from the intervening period (1957 and 1991, not shown) seem to show a grad al loss of these islands. These smaller islands were both sandy and vegetated, creatin small channels that wove through this stretch of river. On the property itself, there have been a variety of changes in last ry. In terms of structures and usage, the current farmhouse was built in 19 is to 'ust behind where the old house once stood. There was also another re behind t that was present from the 1930s until at least 2003. Curre , the house, a large b , two smaller linear barns, and some storage structures r in on t roperty. In a 1930s, six holes of a nine -hole golf course existed on the pro ei e eastern side of the property adjacent to what is now Bal holes of the course were located on the Ba' ey Point side a properties. It is unclear when exactly the rse ceased ❑ of the holes are visible in the 1939 aerial s were located on the In fact, the other three dge connected the two Kons, but only remnants The farm fields have been in constant produ o ince Byre the 1930s and have remained roughly the same s. shape to a present day. According to residents of the property, the buffer along i ippi was a larger than it is today, but that over time they farmed closer d closer the river . The fields grew corn, oats, hay and soybeans, and in 195 see ted. Hybrid seen corn was then grown off and on until the Houlton fa ppe ng the land (though the land has remained in production). The ' also chickens, pigs, horses and cattle, with the horses and cattle gratin what -agricultural land. In particular, cattle used to graze the 80-a Ioodplain , as w as the area to the east of the farmhouse that is now somew en and is cl ied as grassland with sparse deciduous trees. In fact, much of the areas t e cattle gr d were more open. The floodplain island, which is now largely scrub-shrubl ith a n ork of trails, was described by former residents of the property as bei n en, with large trees and an understory of nettles and thistles. The trail network was y used for recreation, and served as a snowmobiling course during the winter. The ca tt a kept this and other areas free of woody vegetation until the family stopped grazing cattle in the late 1970s. Since then, these areas have become more densely vegetated. Invasive shrubs like buckthorn and honeysuckle have come to dominate many areas, and other shrubs and small trees have increased overall woody cover, moving some of these areas from savanna -type vegetation to woodlands. A sawmill operated on the property in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The mill was located on the southwest side of the property, off the main river channel and on the smaller creek that creates the 80 -acre floodplain island. The mill was owned by the Houlton family and Friends of the Mississippi W.H. Houlton Conservation Area NRMP 27