[MassHistPres] Areas of Water on the NR

[Tucker, Jonathan]

The bardic traditions of the ancestors of both of my parents’ Highland clans (both legally recognized tribal entities) walked about on the floor of the Irish Sea and between the Isles.  Later, well into the historic period and verified in abundant written and graphic records, they went viking (raiding) every summer on those waters.  On the basis that our ancient bardic traditions and the historical record demonstrates our long traditional use of these areas, does that provide Clans MacIntyre and MacNeill with adequate grounds to petition the U.K.’s National Trust to designate those areas culturally significant—enough so as to potentially impede otherwise legitimate uses of the waters and sea floor in those areas?  All of it in the absence of anyone having done any definitive archeological surveying of the sea bottom in these areas?

 

We either make historic preservation decisions on the basis of objective, verifiable information or we don’t.  If we don’t, then it seems to me that we are all . . . scrod (to employ a pluperfect subjunctive tense specific to the Bay State).

 

Jonathan Tucker

Planning Director

Amherst Planning Department

4 Boltwood Avenue, Town Hall

Amherst, MA  01002

(413) 259-3040

tuckerj at amherstma.gov    

 

 

 

From: Bjdurk at aol.com [mailto:Bjdurk at aol.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 8:29 AM
To: Tucker, Jonathan
Cc: greenbird-architect at comcast.net; Paul.Bourdon at gtc-bio.com; Forum-L at lists.nationaltrust.org; masshistpres at cs.umb.edu
Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] Areas of Water on the NR

 


Cape Cod Times 


History expert to speak on sound plan


November 18, 2009 2:00 AM

WEST BARNSTABLE — A leading expert on traditional cultural properties will speak Monday night at Cape Cod Community College about a proposal to recognize Nantucket Sound as eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.

Thomas King of Silver Spring, Md., is the co-author of the National Park Service's "Guidelines for Evaluating and Documenting Traditional Cultural Properties."

The National Park Service is waiting for a formal request from U.S. Minerals Management Service before it decides whether the Sound is eligible as a traditional cultural property. Once it receives the request, the Park Service has 45 days to make a decision.

The Mashpee Wampanoag and Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) made the original request for a review of the Sound's eligibility, citing oral traditions that indicate their ancestors used the area before it was submerged and its continued importance for their spiritual and religious beliefs.

The move could further delay the proposal by Cape Wind Associates LLC to build 130 wind turbines there.

Monday's presentation will run from 7 to 8 p.m. in the college's Tilden Arts Center, followed by a question-and-answer period. A reception beforehand starts at 6 p.m.

PATRICK CASSIDY

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