PRESERVING LONG HILL
In 1915, writer Ellery Sedgwick and his wife Mabel bought a 114-acre parcel atop a hill in Beverly. The first thing they did was plant a purple beech at the center of the property, a signal of their determination to turn the land from a patchwork of cow pastures into a welcoming summer home surrounded by scenic vistas and inspired gardens.
Today, the beech tree is a towering presence, with thick gray roots rippling out
