Summer Village Continues a Vacation Tradition at the Pond

*Photo courtesy of Westford Museum
and Historical Society

The clear waters and sandy beaches of Long-Sought-For Pond have been sought after for centuries. Native American artifacts have been found in the area and records from the 1700s mention the pond by name. In fact, there are both Native American and Colonial settler legends about the origins of the Long-Sought-For name.
  Read more.

There was not much settlement along the shores of Long-Sought-For Pond until the late 1700s. By the early 1800s, James Hildreth and Jesse Hildreth had established homestead farms in the area around the pond. These homes have been preserved and the James Hildreth property now serves as the Summer Village at the Pond sales office.

By 1885, Frank Hildreth, the last Hildreth to occupy the land around Long-Sought-For Pond, had built two beach houses on the property. He added at least two more vacation cottages, creating a campground called Hildreth Grove. A subsequent owner added at least five more cottages by the 1930s.

Wyman's Beach campground operated at Long-Sought-For Pond from the 1940s until the final season in Summer 2006. Summer Village at the Pond began construction in late Summer 2006. Summer Village at the Pond will continue the area’s long tradition as a destination for swimming, boating, fishing and other leisurely summer pursuits.