File:Crabapple orchard at Fiske Hill (2014) (2a748dae-bf3d-46df-95ff-b9b183f6bc17).JPG

Leafless crabapple trees grow in rows in an orchard area, surrounded by grass.

Fiske Hill is within the Battle Road Unit of the park. It contains part of the historical Battle Road along which colonial militia pursued and attacked the retreating British during the Battle of Lexington and Concord. Numerous historic buildings, structures, stone walls, monuments, and over 800 acres of former farm land contribute to the military, commemorative, agricultural, architectural, and archeological significance of the landscape. Important crops on the property included apple and pear orchards that supplied juice for cider. Late 19th century photographs of the house show it surrounded by grassy lawns and shade and ornamental trees, with what appears to be an orchard south of the house, consistent with typical rural residential vegetation of the period. The park has established three areas with crabapple trees in grid formations to resemble fruit orchards. The first area is south of the Ebenezer Fiske house site, containing about forty trees in an oblique grid. The second orchard, located along the northeast side of Route 2A near the Fiske Hill parking area, consists of several rows of trees running parallel to the road. The third orchard comprises a few trees on the north side of the road adjacent to the bluff. At the time of the CLI documentation, many of these trees were in poor condition.

*Subject: Cultural Landscapes

• Keywords: Fiske Hill; cultural landscape; orchard; crabapple tree; agriculture