MassWoods

1963

Virginia and Harvey Rittenhouse along with Virginia’s parents purchased 150 acres of land in Sterling, Massachusetts.

1977

Virginia’s parents passed away.

1970s and 1980s

Lots were periodically carved from the original 150 acres and sold for residential development.

1993

Several lots were sold to a local builder. The agreement included a Right of First Refusal (ROFR) for the local builder for the 50 remaining acres owned by the Rittenhouses.

1993-2003

Numerous developers attempted to make offers on the 50 acre parcel and were all denied due to the ROFR. The Rittenhouses decided that they would rather see the land conserved than developed but face the dilemma of the ROFR.

2003

Virginia and Harvey Rittenhouse ask the Town of Sterling to purchase the parcel.

2003-2004

The Town of Sterling partnered with the Trust for Public Land (TPL) and negotiated a deal with the local builder that released the Rittenhouses from the ROFR agreement. The Rittenhouses decided to split the 47 acres into 2 parcels, 30 acres of forested land that they wanted to sell outright to the Town and 17 acres of apple orchard that they wanted to keep and place under a Conservation Restriction (CR.)

February 15, 2005

Town meeting voters voted to approve the purchase of the CR on the 17 acre orchard and the deed to the 30 acre forestland by the Town, with the understanding that some of the funds would come from a self-help grant and private contributions.