[MassHistPres] Old House Falling Down: Follow-up

Tue Oct 23 13:05:39 EDT 2007

I neglected to say in my last email (below) that Preservation Mass also 
listed the Wright-Holden House (maybe along with some of the surrounding 
farmland?-I would have to look it up) on the 10 most-endangered list about 4 
years ago.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Anne Forbes" <AnneForbes at verizon.net>
To: "John Worden" <jworden at swwalaw.com>; <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, October 23, 2007 12:04 PM
Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] Old House Falling Down

> John -
> The house is in Acton (where I live), and has a long history of connection 
> with both Acton and Concord, and unfortunately of abuse as well.  The 
> abuse, I am sorry to say, has been on the part of the commonwealth, which 
> owns much of the farmland, with some buildings, west of MCI Concord (which 
> began as the new state-of-the-art Massachusetts State Prison in 1878.) 
> The construction of the prison involved the purchase of multiple farm 
> parcels, including the former Wright Farm, with the Wright-Holden House, 
> where the state police horse barn has been located since the 1980s(?).
>
> Many years ago, Historic Massachusetts (now Preservation Mass), listed the 
> 12 surviving 1878-1884 "prison houses" that were built to house the prison 
> officers and their families (located closer to the rotary) on their 10 
> most-endangered list.  The prison houses were a phenomenal collection of 
> wood-frame double houses of that era - unique in the state, as far as I 
> could tell when I researched them back in 1987, and I haven't seen 
> anything comparable since.  They (I think there were at least 18 
> originally) formed an instant neighborhood, and they were needed because 
> the prison was located outside of any town or village residential area. 
> They were built to be quite comfortable and commodious in order to attract 
> employees to what was a fairly prestigious job, and to help convince them 
> to bring their families out from the city (the former prison was in 
> Charlestown).
>
> But in spite of local efforts to prevail upon the state to maintain those 
> buildings, they entered a period of true demolition by neglect, and 
> several years ago, prompted by neighbors who were fed up with living next 
> to such "eyesores,"  the state happily tore down all but one.  That single 
> house, located on Commonwealth Avenue across from the west wall of the 
> prison and supposedly left standing as an "example" of what was there, had 
> been pretty well butchered by some renovation efforts that included 
> changing its shape, stripping trim details, and installing inappropriate 
> doors and windows and doors.  But it's the only one left.
>
> This is a long-winded way of pointing out a bit of context and an account 
> of some of the difficulties of dealing with the state in maintaining its 
> historic properties.  In the case of the Acton farmhouse, even with 
> volunteer help and donations of time and materials from construction 
> professionals, the Acton Historical Commission has tried over the years to 
> get the state to stand up to its responsibilities, but the result is all 
> too visible.
>
> For detailed information you should contact the commission at 
> HC at acton-ma.gov.  I do not serve on that board, but I know that your 
> interest and help in raising awareness about this building will be 
> appreciated.
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "John Worden" <jworden at swwalaw.com>
> To: <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
> Sent: Tuesday, October 23, 2007 11:01 AM
> Subject: [MassHistPres] Old House Falling Down
>
>
>> No doubt many of us who travel Route 2 between Cambridge and The West 
>> have
>> noticed, on the north side of the highway, just west of the Concord 
>> Rotary
>> and about on the Action-Concord line, a fine old (19th c.) farmhouse with 
>> an
>> adjacent, quite prosperous looking horse farm (large barn and extensive
>> paddocks).  Over the past few years, the house has gone from looking 
>> pretty
>> good to looking like it's about to fall down.  Hasn't been painted in 
>> many
>> years; shutters, some closed and some open, are falling off; some windows
>> appear to be broken - it bears in inescapable aura of abandonment and
>> neglect.  So, I'm wondering if the historical commissions in Concord or
>> Action have any information, or are taking any steps to preserve this
>> building.
>>
>> John Worden
>> Arlington HDC
>>
>>
>> **********
>>
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>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: <masshistpres-request at cs.umb.edu>
>> To: <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
>> Sent: Monday, October 22, 2007 12:00 PM
>> Subject: MassHistPres Digest, Vol 20, Issue 18
>>
>>
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>>> Today's Topics:
>>>
>>>   1. Stone Wall Surveys? (Jeff K.)
>>>   2. Re: Stone Wall Surveys? (Joseph S. Larson)
>>>   3. preservation planner position in Newton
>>>      (Alice E. Ingerson/Applied History)
>>>
>>>
>>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>
>>> Message: 1
>>> Date: Sun, 21 Oct 2007 16:24:32 -0700 (PDT)
>>> From: "Jeff K." <archaeology4kids at yahoo.com>
>>> Subject: [MassHistPres] Stone Wall Surveys?
>>> To: masshistpres at cs.umb.edu
>>> Message-ID: <380722.69237.qm at web60423.mail.yahoo.com>
>>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
>>>
>>> Hello All,
>>>
>>> Are there any municipalities (or individuals) that
>>> have completed a stone wall survey or inventory for an
>>> entire town or city?  I'm curious about how it has
>>> been done and how that data has been used.
>>> I know about the MHC planning grant cycle that is just
>>> starting up, and this may be a worthy application.
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>> Jeff Kotkin
>>> Framingham, MA
>>>
>>>
>>> ------------------------------
>>>
>>> Message: 2
>>> Date: Sun, 21 Oct 2007 19:36:06 -0400
>>> From: "Joseph S. Larson" <larson at tei.umass.edu>
>>> Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] Stone Wall Surveys?
>>> To: "Jeff K." <archaeology4kids at yahoo.com>, <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
>>> Message-ID: <002101c8143b$26e5cec0$9865fea9 at tbr3450>
>>> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
>>> reply-type=original
>>>
>>> Dear Mr. Kotkin:
>>>
>>> The town of Petersham has a complete map of its stone walls. It was done
>>> by
>>> a faculty member at Harvard University's Harvard Forest, which is 
>>> located
>>> in
>>> Petersham. The map and background material on that project is on view at
>>> the
>>> Fisher Museum at the Forest Headquarters and is well worth a trip to see
>>> it.
>>> The project is part of a historic land use study of the town, and is a
>>> classic. If you plan to make the trip, Google Harvard Forest to get
>>> background material and call ahead to see if one of the staff members
>>> could
>>> be available to meet with you.
>>>
>>> Joseph S. Larson
>>> 27 Arnold Road
>>> Pelham, Massachusetts 01002-9757
>>> http://myprofile.cos.com/larson358
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>> From: "Jeff K." <archaeology4kids at yahoo.com>
>>> To: <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
>>> Sent: Sunday, October 21, 2007 7:24 PM
>>> Subject: [MassHistPres] Stone Wall Surveys?
>>>
>>>
>>>> Hello All,
>>>>
>>>> Are there any municipalities (or individuals) that
>>>> have completed a stone wall survey or inventory for an
>>>> entire town or city?  I'm curious about how it has
>>>> been done and how that data has been used.
>>>> I know about the MHC planning grant cycle that is just
>>>> starting up, and this may be a worthy application.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks,
>>>> Jeff Kotkin
>>>> Framingham, MA
>>>> ******************************
>>>> For administrative questions regarding this list, please contact
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>>>> WHOLE LIST.
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>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ------------------------------
>>>
>>> Message: 3
>>> Date: Mon, 22 Oct 2007 11:34:51 -0400 (EDT)
>>> From: "Alice E. Ingerson/Applied History" <appliedhistory at rcn.com>
>>> Subject: [MassHistPres] preservation planner position in Newton
>>> To: masshistpres at cs.umb.edu
>>> Message-ID: <20071022113451.ADV95507 at ms13.lnh.mail.rcn.net>
>>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
>>>
>>>
>>> POSITION AVAILABLE for
>>> SENIOR PRESERVATION PLANNER in NEWTON
>>> Initiates and oversees historic preservation plans and projects (such as
>>> National Register nominations and designation of local landmarks), and
>>> contributes to the historic preservation elements in other citywide 
>>> plans.
>>> Analyzes historic preservation issues for general land use and zoning
>>> decisions. Provides technical and staff support for the Newton 
>>> Historical
>>> Commission and local historic district commissions, and also educates 
>>> the
>>> public, on local preservation regulations (including the demolition 
>>> review
>>> ordinance). REQUIRES a master?s degree in historic preservation or 
>>> related
>>> field and 3-5 years of experience. CONTACT Norine Silton, Planning and
>>> Development Department, Newton City Hall, 1000 Commonwealth Ave., Newton
>>> Centre, MA 02459 or email: nsilton at newtonma.gov  A/EOE.
>>>
>>>
>>> ------------------------------
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>
>>> End of MassHistPres Digest, Vol 20, Issue 18
>>> ********************************************
>>>
>>
>>
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> 