Landlocked No More!

Ever since the Dirden Farm was purchased in 1880, the property had been plagued as a landlocked parcel, meaning there was no legal way to access the land without the consent of a neighbor. In the early years, when the Dirdens worked and lived on the land, this restriction was not an issue because their neighbors were very accommodating to the comings and goings of the family.

However, access easements and land codes are strictly enforced today, and this became a concern as we reimagined our efforts for the Farm’s future. We realized an easement was necessary before any major work could begin. Unfortunately, the neighboring property owners were not open to accommodating us with an easement. Our only option was to proceed with a lawsuit to acquire an “easement of necessity.”

The Dirden Farm easement property.

After our attorney notified the neighbor of our intent, they sectioned off their property, putting up two new parcels for sale. On July 7, 2024—now 144 years since Taylor Dirden purchased the property—the parcel of land that borders the Farm was bought by the current Dirden-Lacy family, allowing us to grant ourselves the easement we need!

With this news, we are thrilled to share with you that the Farm’s long history of legal inaccessibility has been erased. This is a major development toward our first steps of bringing the Dirden Family Farm Homestead to life for all.

Please join us for the Historical Marker Dedication Celebration on Saturday, April 19, 2025, for a day of education, inspiration, and fun! Contact us to reserve a place on the invitation list and stay turned to this site for more updates.