[MassHistPres] (no subject)

[Jonathan Shaw]

> I wondered if anyone could provide simple advice for dating houses  
> for a
> historic plaque program that will kick off in January as part of our
> town's 300th anniversary. There are inventory forms for several of
> the older homes in Plympton, but since disputes can arise when  
> homes predate written records, (claims
> for very early dates) I wondered what approach others might advise?
> Obviously, we are not going to be ordering dendrochronological
> studies, and the point of the program is to instill pride of
> ownership. Nevertheless, we need to have some guidelines in place or
> there could be fierce internecine warfare in our small community.
> When there is uncertainty in dating a home would you recommend using
> "before," or "circa" and so on? And what if the house has two parts?
> Say a room or just a wall that dates to the 17th century and a later
> date for the rest of the house? Any advice you could proffer, or
> resources you might suggest I should consult, would be most  
> appreciated.

Jonathan Shaw
Plympton Historic District Commission
and the Plympton Historical Commission
>