About Laudholm Trust
Partnering with Wells Reserve for preservation
At the center of the Wells Reserve high on a hill, sits historic Laudholm Farm, the heart of the Wells Reserve and home to the Laudholm Trust, which serves as the fundraising and community outreach organization responsible for ensuring the preservation of the Reserve and the success of its programs. The farm, which was given the name “Laudholm” by owner Charles E. Lord in the early 20th century, was settled in 1642 and was occupied by just four families over the next 350 years. “Laud” means to praise and “holm” means meadow or inland island. The name works as a delightful play on words for its owner at the time, meaning “Lord Home.”
For many years the farm was known far and wide as a prosperous and progressive enterprise, raising guernsey cows and distributing Laudholm Farms products such as milk, butter and eggs.
The Laudholm Trust
In 1969, the farm’s last private owner sold 199 acres, including Laudholm Beach, to the Maine Department of Conservation. When developers later sought to purchase the remaining 250 acres, neighbors banded together to preserve the site and its historic buildings.
They formed the Laudholm Trust and reached out to individuals, businesses and foundations for support. Agreements were negotiated to combine the farm property with adjacent town, state and federal lands. The work of hundreds of committed individuals resulted in the dedication of the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve, or Wells Reserve, in 1986.
