[MassHistPres] Old House Falling Down: Follow-up
John Worden
jworden at swwalaw.com
Tue Oct 23 13:53:43 EDT 2007
Correct me if I'm wrong, but is it not the law that a listed historical
building cannot be taken down without an environmental impact statement
being provided? It appears from the information provided by Anne Forbes
that the Commonwealth is taking down the historic Wright-Holden House by
demolition by neglect. Doesn't the Mass. Historical Commission have an
obligation to do something about this?
John Worden
Arlington HDC
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Anne Forbes" <AnneForbes at verizon.net>
To: "Anne Forbes" <AnneForbes at verizon.net>; "John Worden"
<jworden at swwalaw.com>; <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, October 23, 2007 1:05 PM
Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] Old House Falling Down: Follow-up
>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
>>>
>>>
>>> **********
>>>
>>> This transmittal is intended only for the use of the named recipient,
>>> and may contain information that is privileged, confidential,
>>> and/or exempt from disclosure. If the reader of this transmittal is
>>> not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any
>>> dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication is
>>> strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in
>>> error, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all
>>> copies of this message and any attachments. Thank you.
>>> ----- 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
>>>>> Christopher.Skelly at state.ma.us directly. PLEASE DO NOT "REPLY" TO THE
>>>>> WHOLE LIST.
>>>>> MassHistPres mailing list
>>>>> MassHistPres at cs.umb.edu
>>>>> http://mailman.cs.umb.edu/mailman/listinfo/masshistpres
>>>>> ********************************
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ------------------------------
>>>>
>>>> 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.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ------------------------------
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> MassHistPres mailing list
>>>> MassHistPres at cs.umb.edu
>>>> http://mailman.cs.umb.edu/mailman/listinfo/masshistpres
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> End of MassHistPres Digest, Vol 20, Issue 18
>>>> ********************************************
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ******************************
>>> For administrative questions regarding this list, please contact
>>> Christopher.Skelly at state.ma.us directly. PLEASE DO NOT "REPLY" TO THE
>>> WHOLE LIST.
>>> MassHistPres mailing list
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>>> ********************************
>>>
>>
>
>
>
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