Hoffman Center

Welcome to Hoffman Center

Hoffman Center is a sanctuary of natural beauty established in 1996 when it was saved from development into a 57-home subdivision.

Originally the estate of the George S. Brewster family, the centerpiece is a 1914 Georgian-style mansion designed to be integrated into the woodland scheme, rather than be an intrusion. Other estate buildings are currently undergoing restoration for future use in connection with our nature programs.

In the 1970's the property was converted to a golf course, until 1982 when the grounds were abandoned and allowed to return to their natural state of growth, including open meadows, secondary oak-brush and mixed deciduous forest. Remnants of non-native plant species and water hazards of the golf course remain today.

Depending on the season, some of the Hoffman Center residents you might encounter during your walk include: red-tailed hawks, an egret or heron, woodpeckers, pheasants, cottontail rabbits, box turtles, woodchucks, opossum, foxes, Canada geese, bats, owls, raccoons, more than 49 species of butterflies and 141+ resident and migrating birds - including blue birds fledged from our bluebird boxes and grass nesting birds which find solace in our transformed 30-acres of native grasslands.

We also provide a sanctuary for more than 150 native plant species including fragile, endangered and watch list flora such as our Pink Lady Slipper Orchids (Cypripedium acaule), thought to be lost to this area.

We hope to welcome you to Hoffman Center soon, to experience something that you may not have seen before, on our beautiful and preserved north shore!