[MassHistPres] Controversy about what colors to paint a restored Town Hall

[Eric Dray]

We had the exact situation in Provincetown with our town hall.  I was Chair of our HC at the time. I suggested that the architects color the elevation drawings with the proposed Victorian-era scheme. Once people saw the drawing, they liked it and let go of their desire to keep it white. We turned the front elevation drawing into a poster and sold it to raise money. Once it was painted, no complaints at all. 
Eric Dray 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Sep 29, 2016, at 11:31 AM, Peter K Johnson <johnsonkpeter at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> I'm chair of the Historical Commission in Hanover, and would like to hear others' opinion about about a current controversy in our town about what color to paint the about-to-be-restored Town Hall. This project, using CPA funds, is about to go out to bid. The plans call for restoring the building to its 1893 "state", when it was the smaller, 1863 structure was remodeled and enlarged by architect J. Williams Beal, a resident of Hanover (and also architect of Castle in the Clouds in NH). Paint analysis show that in 1893 the clapboards on the building were painted a dark grey-green, with the rather elaborate trim (window frames, corners pilasters, front portico, cornices, and cupola) painted a cream color.  Sometime in the 1920's (we think) the building was painted entirely white, and that has been its color ever since, most recently clad in white vinyl siding sometime in the 1980's. 
> 
> The Town Manager decided that reverting to the 1893 color scheme would cause great controversy in town and decided to put up a straw poll online, so that residents could vote.  You can see it here. The link is a bit glitchy, but it does eventually open...the 
> 
> https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PM2DY2P
> 
> At this point, votes for the 1893 color scheme and all-white are about equal. (The yellowish-brown,1863 scheme should not have been posted - and is getting very few votes anyway). The Town Moderator has just weighed in on the Town's Facebook page calling the 1893 colors "truly dreadful", that "our ancestors found to be a bad choice and switched to white".  His opinion will have some influence. The Historical Commission is preparing a response.  Does anyone have any experience with such a situation - and/or advice about the best strategy for responding? Obviously an emotional issue here, fueled by the idea that buildings in New England town centers were always white. 
> 
> Thanks 
> 
> Peter Johnson
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