Emily the Cow
In Sherborn, this memorial stands for a cow whose life became a symbol of compassion in our time.
Emily’s story belongs to the late twentieth century. After escaping from a slaughterhouse in 1995, she was taken in by the Peace Abbey, a sanctuary devoted to nonviolence, humanitarian causes and animal welfare. There she lived out the remainder of her life, nearly eight years, becoming a quiet ambassador for animal protection and ethical reflection.
When Emily died in 2003, she was buried in Sherborn, and the Animal Rights Memorial was created at her gravesite. The plague frames her life as something worthy of remembrance. Alongside colonial homes and war monuments, Sherborn also preserves a site dedicated to conscience and mercy in the modern era.
In Sherborn, history is not frozen in one period. It stretched from seventeenth century settlement to twentieth century activism. Here is a single cow remembered for her life, her survival and how she moved people
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Pacificist Memorial
Tucked quietly within the grounds of what was The Peace Abbey in Sherborn, lies one of the most thought provoking memorials in New England: The Pacifist Memorial. Unlike traditional monuments that commemorate battles, this space is dedicated to those who chose a different path: the path of nonviolence. Established in the late 20th century as part of […]
Boggestow
Before it was called Sherborn, the area was known as Boggestow, a native place name that likely described the landscape, interpreted as “rocky” or “hilly” land. The region was inhabited by the Massachusett people, specifically bands connected to the Nipmuc and other Algonquian-speaking tribes of central Massachusetts. The Massachusett were part of a larger network of Native communities living throughout eastern and central […]
