[MassHistPres] Boston Globe editorial

Fri Oct 24 12:20:11 EDT 2014

Joyce, 

I in no way mean this personally, and I have no facts other than what you
have presented, but it is mind boggling that anyone would go to so much
effort without asking the owners/operators/leaseholders or what ever the
Crowley's are, for their blessing on the NR nomination in the first place.
In doing a residential district for example, it helps to discuss it with the
property owners and win them over when they ask why you are taking pictures
of their house. The busy-bodies chasing you and those glaring from "the big
house" are the most important. Nobody likes something sprung on them - it
diminishes their willingness to reason. And each defeat questions the
validity of the NR and gives observers pause... "if THEY don't want it?..."
Most preservation consultants I know, consider themselves part of the "front
line" of preservation, winning over hearts and minds one at a time. You
can't eliminate all opposition, but a proactive and preemptive approach
helps. 

Good luck, hopefully the Wachusetts folks will eventually change their mind.

Richard Casella

Portsmouth RI  

From: masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu
[mailto:masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu] On Behalf Of Joyce Anderson
Sent: Friday, October 24, 2014 11:03 AM
To: Young, Andrea
Cc: Masshistpres
Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] Boston Globe editorial

Yes, it is because of damaging publicity, such as in the Boston Globe, that
people distrust the word National Register and Historical Commission. The
Princeton Historical Commission prepared to nominate Wachusett Mountain to
the National Register of Historic Places, in fact, we received a $10,000
matching grant from MHC to hire someone to write the nomination. The
nomination was completed and sent to MHC.it <http://MHC.it>  was at this
point the Crowley Family opposed the nomination. As hard as we tried to
convince them that they would not have any negative effects on their
business the opposition continued. Our state senator met with them and the
PHC at the state house but to no avail. What can we do to educate people so
this negative attitude no longer continues to persist?

Joyce Anderson

Princeton Historical Commission

On Oct 23, 2014, at 5:43 PM, Young, Andrea <YoungA at hingham-ma.gov
<mailto:YoungA at hingham-ma.gov> > wrote:

In addition to the unfortunate slant, it also seems that the writer of the
Globe editorial was confused about which municipal body to target.  The
beginning of the article identifies the historic district commission as
being the “overzealous” board; however, the writer then talks about the
commission imposing a one year demolition delay (a preservation tool used by
historical commissions; not historic district commissions), and ends the
editorial by saying that the house is not located in an historic district.
What?  Most readers of this editorial are not in the preservation field and
would not have picked up on these inconsistencies; nor would they have been
aware of the errors, misinformation and omission of  information cited by
Matt and Sara.  The frustrating thing is that this mess of an editorial will
influence some, and will perpetuate the stereotype held by others that
historical and historic districts commission members are outdated in their
thinking, out of touch with today’s lifestyles and out of their minds (as
in, “I have to go before the hysterical commission.”)   Preserving and
protecting our historical and architectural assets is not for the faint of
heart.  I, too, sent my comments to the Globe.

Andrea Young

Administrator

Hingham Historical and Historic Districts Commissions       

From:  <mailto:masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu>
masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu [ <mailto:masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu>
mailto:masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu] On Behalf Of  <mailto:cvwtc at aol.com>
cvwtc at aol.com
Sent: Wednesday, October 22, 2014 5:20 PM
To:  <mailto:swermiel at verizon.net> swermiel at verizon.net;
<mailto:masshistpres at cs.umb.edu> masshistpres at cs.umb.edu
Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] Boston Globe editorial

The Salem News had the same take on this several months ago but that paper
seems heavily biased against preservation anyway.  I have noted times when
Salem News and Globe reporters have completely ignored the preservation
angle to a story all together and called for equal time were ignored.

I note the editorial says the National Register offers certain protection
but in this case that is simply not true since state and federal funds are
not involved.

They are also wrong about the requirement that the board be seven members.
It does not have to be.  Seven represents the largest number of members
allowed on the commission.  

Matt Pujo

Beverly, MA

-----Original Message-----
From: Sara Wermiel < <mailto:swermiel at verizon.net> swermiel at verizon.net>
To: masshistpres < <mailto:masshistpres at cs.umb.edu> masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
Sent: Wed, Oct 22, 2014 1:49 pm
Subject: [MassHistPres] Boston Globe editorial

I’d like to call the attention of listserv members to an editorial in the
Boston Globe last week, “History deserves respect, but overzealousness has a
price.”

<http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/editorials/2014/10/13/beverly-loring-hou
se-history-deserves-respect-but-overzealousness-has-price/zXl3z3U0vOZGuuAxQ0
eYeI/story.html>
http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/editorials/2014/10/13/beverly-loring-hous
e-history-deserves-respect-but-overzealousness-has-price/zXl3z3U0vOZGuuAxQ0e
YeI/story.html

The editorial deals with the sad case of the Loring House in Beverly, a
National Register-eligible property that will be demolished.

The editorial suggests that the Beverly Historic District Commission was
stuck on trivial matters, such as not destroying the house’s façade, and
this drove the owner to a drastic act.

Yes, zealotry is wrong, but was the BHDC unreasonable? Did it act
improperly? We don’t know, and the Globe doesn’t know, because the Globe
never did any real reporting. Yet it produces an indicting editorial,
essentially warning all historical commissions against doing their jobs.

I wrote a letter to the editor, which I’ll be glad to share with members if
you want to read it. If this editorial bugs you too, I urge you to let the
Globe know.

--Sara Wermiel

History of technology/historic preservation consulting

Jamaica Plain, MA

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