Ashley, Col. John, House (Boundary Increase)
Also known as: See Also:Ashley, Col. John, House
Why it's listed
Conklin Field is a 30-acre tract of open farmland south of the Colonel John Ashley House in Sheffield, Massachusetts. It runs along Stony Brook, reaches the intersection of Cooper Hill and Rannapo Roads, and borders Bartholomew's Cobble Reservation to the south. The field has no buildings and was being used to grow corn for silage. It was added to the historic site because it once belonged to Colonel John Ashley's large eighteenth-century farm, as did the neighboring 170-acre Bartholomew's Cobble. The surrounding farmscape also helps convey the way of life the house represents. At the time, a private owner was selling the field, and Sheffield's one-acre zoning with no frontage requirements meant house lots could have changed the pastoral setting. The Trustees of Reservations, which owns the house, sought to buy the land and reunite the holdings Ashley once had. The state review board and the Massachusetts Historical Commission supported the expansion.
Significance in brief: The field was originally part of Colonel John Ashley's extensive eighteenth-century farm and adjoins Bartholomew's Cobble, which was also once part of that farm. Its open rural setting provides the farmscape essential to preserving a property that shows the Berkshire way of life. The field was for sale and faced a threat of subdivision into house lots.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 75002172, listed August 11, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | W of Ashley Halls on Cooper Hill Rd., Sheffield |
|---|---|
| County | Berkshire County |
| Listed | August 11, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75002172 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Areas of significance | Military, Politics/Government |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Conklin Field contains no structures and is presently used to raise corn for silage. It was for sale by a private owner, and the Trustees of Reservations planned to acquire it. |
| Acreage | 25 |
| Coordinates | 42.05810, -73.35352 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 75002172.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.