Francis Farm Clambake Authorized

The clambake at Francis Farm has been given the green light by the Rehoboth Board of Selectmen.

The Town Events Committee plans to hold the event on August 20.

Selectmen Chairman Skip Vadnais had told committee chairman David LeComte the Council on Aging’s refrigeration units could not be used due to safety issues. Vadnais said the COA kitchen will also be off-limits for use.

LeComte told selectmen Monday the refrigerator from Miller Hall would be used outside.

Francis Farm was known for hosting numerous social functions including weddings and clambakes through the years. The first clambake was held in 1890 for the Goff Gathering. The Goff family, headed by Captain Shubael Goff and Sally Briggs Goff, who were married in 1805, and their descendants started an annual family gathering in the late 1800’s that was held in various locations.

In 1917, Francis Farm became the permanent site of the Goff Gathering and with the exception of one year, the annual get together had been held at Francis Farm ever since. That first Goff clambake at Francis Farm was so popular that more and more people started coming.

Voters at the May 2021 town meeting approved the purchase of the 47 acre property at a cost of $2.8 million. The Council on Aging relocated there after the former facility at Bay State Road was destroyed by fire in 2020.