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Massachusetts

Leverett

Town of Leverett
9 Montague Road
Leverett, MA 01054
Town Clerk: (413) 548-9150
Tax Collector: (413) 548-9666
Assessor: (413) 548-4945
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Historical Commission Meeting

Monday, September 9, 2024, 7:00 pm until 8:30 pm
Online and in-person at Town Hall
A meeting of the Historical Commission

Meeting of Historical Commission

Members: (Quorum)

  • Absent: Ann Tweedy
  • Absent: Edie Field, Honorary
  • Absent: Susan Lynton
  • Absent: Anne Schuyler
  • Present: Eva Gibavic, at 7:00 PM
  • Present: Carole Desanti, at 7:00 PM
  • Present: Sara Robinson, at 7:00 PM
  • Present: Susan Mareneck, Chair, at 7:00 PM

Also Present:

  • Pleun Bouricius

See original Agenda Final Minutes

Meeting opened: 7:10 PM

Meeting closed: 9:01 PM

  1. Meeting Preliminaries

  2. Update on Annual Review of CPA-funded properties

    • CPA yearly Historic Assets Review - Town Hall ; Field Library Museum; LCA - Beaman/Marvell Box Shop; Town Garage; Slarrow Sawmill; Moore's Corner Schoolhouse. * Discuss Dudleyville Dam

      General Discussion...
      Mention of the Dudleyville Dam dismantling. We are interested in the process by which it happened. It would provide perspective to hear from the Brown family, owners of the dam for the past 75 years. As part of the process, the Office of Dam Safety and the contracted firm hired a Brattleboro preservationist to update a National (and State) Register listing. Eva was able to document the dam before its destruction by drone footage thanks to Bob Dolan.

      The annual CPA visits went well. Mitch Mulholland met us at the Box Shop to update us on what has occurred there since last year. We visited Town Hall, Field Library, Box Shop, Town Garage, North Leverett Sawmill and Moore's Corner Schoolhouse, where we held a brief meeting to approve the LOS for a grant application by FONLS to the MA Office of Travel & Tourism to write a script and do a performance of interaction between two originators of the North Leverett Sawmill, Joseph Slarrow and Richard Montague as a celebration of the upcoming 250th of the country in 2026.

  3. Letter of Support - Selectboard CPA application for Rattlesnake Gutter

    • LOS - Selectboard (represented by 3 residents) request for Rattlesnake Gutter Letter of 'Significance'

      General Discussion...
      The 'Letter of Significance' for Rattlesnake Gutter to support the proposal for CPA funding to repair the Gutter for recreational use, was reviewed. Next month the 3 residents representing the Selectboard. will provide a copy of the proposal for rebuilding the Gutter in hopes of adding a LOS from the Commission to their application. The CPC will meet 10/23 to discuss the proposals the Committee has received for FY 2025-26 funding.

      1. LHC_possible_draft_9-9-24sm_edit.docx

  4. Embodied History - Howard Brothers' Charcoal Industry in Leverett - video premiere

    • Embodied History Event - Charcoal Industry in Leverett - video premiere event: Content In-person participation PR Refreshments

      General Discussion...
      The 'Charcoal Industry in Leverett - Video Premiere' event will happen on Saturday September 14 from 1-3pm. There will be refreshments. Posters and cards have been distributed inviting the public. Letters and cards have been sent to participants inviting them to attend. Elliot Sherman will attend and bring some collected materials that he is in possession of. Eva suggests doing subtitles for the interview with Leonard LaClaire so that his accent and low tonality can be understood easily. We will not try to display the Charcoal Kilns model from the Moore's Corner Schoolhouse Museum or the charcoal bags and wrappers donated by Matt Howard.

      Embodied Timber Industry video is yet to be prepared for viewing. Participants are eagerly awaiting an opportunity to view it. We intended to interview the Stones family, Mike Carey and Tom Stratford this summer, but somehow it has slipped by! We will figure out a way to do it. Susan is also going to try to interview Jim Aaron, Shutesbury individually about being a sawyer for many years. More embodied history to come.

      1. SAVE_THE_DATE_Embodied_history_charcoal_video_premiere_sept_14_2024_copy.jpg

  5. Conditions Assessment of Leverett Cemeteries

    • Update - Walk-through North, Moore's Corner and Chestnut Hill cemeteries with Leverett Cemetery Association

      General Discussion...
      The first walk through was in Moore's Corner Cemetery on Rattlesnake Gutter Road on September 7, 1-2:30pm. It was attended by Edie Field, Eva Gibavic, Carole DeSanti and Susan Mareneck. Using Forrest Brigg's map, which was the one also used by TaMara Conde when she restored gravestones there in 2014 and 2016, we noted 14 stones that we would like a professional to evaluate. As per Angela Glazier of the Leverett Cemetery Association's concern, we noted that there were Cowl's property trees at the west end that could be cut. It might be worth an inquiry to see if Cowl's would give the LCA or town permission to prune back those trees that seem to be threatening to damage stones if they fall. We noted that most stones have 'ambient dirt & biological growth' and could use a cleaning with soap and water and treatment with a product called 'D 2'. The tomb in the cemetery is propped with large timbers against the large stones on the front. There are trees growing on top of the tomb which need to be re moved. Peeking inside we see that the side and back walls are quite straight. A professional stoneworker evaulation is needed.

      The next visit will be to the Chestnut Hill/Mount Hope Cemetery. Date to be determined.

  6. Historical Signage

    • Industrial History Markers - Signage for Chestnut Hill Mill

      General Discussion...
      The 'Chestnut Hill Mill' sign has been ordered. It will be delivered to the Town Garage when complete with the post. The Highway Dept. will notify the HC when they are ready to install, so that we can accompany them to confirm placement with the property owner, Ann Ferguson.

      1. Chestnut_Hill_Mill_baby_large_2436_.jpeg
      2. Location_of_Chestnut_Hill_Mill_sign_AFerguson.jpg

  7. LHS Collection Inventory and Digitization Project

    • Update on Accessibility - Projected Timing and Locale for General Public Accessibility

      General Discussion...
      Sara Robinson provided the HC with a proposal which the Leverett Historical Society made to the Library about the possibility of a designated computer at the Library on which the public could access the newly digitized LHS Collection of historical artifacts. The 2D scanning is complete, though photographing the 3D objects in the collection remains. The task of linking of scanned documents with searchable titles which is what Eva is currently working on. Once that is complete, there will be a hard drive with all images kept in the vault as well as a computer with a flash drive at the Library for public access.

  8. Oversight of Historical Assets

    • Properties - Update on - Slarrow Sawmill (FONLS); Moore's Corner Schoolhouse (LHS); 'Heritage Park & Nature Trail'(FONLS/Town of Leverett); Field Tavern (private); Graves' Ironworks (Town of Leverett managed by FONLS as part of 'Heritage Park' conservation area); Field Library/Museum (Town of Leverett in partnership with LHS)

      General Discussion...
      Discussion centered on the Graves' Ironworks site on the 2 ac Town-owned conservation land which is now part of the 'Heritage Park & Nature Trail' on the 4.5 ac downstream from the North Leverett Sawmill. We are unclear who is actual owner of the 2 ac town property, the Town of Leverett (in which case, as the overseer of town history, the Historical Commission would have oversight) or specifically the Conservation Commission since the land was donated by a private citizen as 'conservation land'? In either case, the archaeological site where the ironworks once was really extends from just below the sawmill where the first diversionary dam to a mill pond that fed a millrace for the Ironworks all the way to the western end of the Town property, with possible remains of a second dam, canal, many foundations of what may have been - according to old maps - a grist mill and gypsum mill in addition to the Ironworks - covering the whole Park. Now that the site has become a focal point of the trail, it is inadvertently being disturbed and needs to be surveyed and mapped before more things are moved or changes made. The Conservation Commission required the FONLS to build bridges to protect wetlands, one of which has made entering the Ironworks easily accessible. Eva thinks maybe a LiDAR scan of the area would be a first step. The HC is consulting Mitch Mulholland and local archaeologists he knows to see if we can figureout a way to survey the area asap. Susan was advised by the MA Historical Commission to look into a National Preservation Trust Grant called 'Saving Places' which is a pretty quick turn-around, but may not be enough alone to cover the expense of a survey. An application for CPA funding whould have a lot of competition this year, but might be possible if we can get a few professionals to give us proposals in time. Carole mentioned that Historic Northampton did a 'dig' on their property as a class led by a professional with volunteer labor. Since it is town land, any eventual excavation would need apermit from the state.

      1. Leverett_Presentation_6-7-24.pdf

  9. Leverett's 250th Anniversary

    • Events - Fall Festival 10/20/24 Crazy Quilt Community Project October 20, 2024 to late winter (date for presentation to community and raffle?) 2025

  10. Reports from Other Town Committees

    • Monthly Updates - Community Preservation Committee/ Selectboard/ Planning Board/ Affordable Housing/ Board of Health/ Recreation Committee/ Council on Aging/ Cultural Council/ Zoning Board of Appeals/ Conservation Commission.

      General Discussion...
      Carole's barn restoration on track tohave a ribbon-cutting in October.

      The Town's Weights & Measures will be moved from the Field Library & Museum to the Town Hall.

      The Selectboard is taking on responsibility for initiating a possible collaboration between the Town and the State Attorney General's Office's 'Neighborhood Renewal Program'. There are several properties in town which might be eligible and they want to make sure that all properties have the opportunity to participate if owners approve.

  11. New Business

  12. Meeting Wrap-up

The listing of matters is those reasonably anticipated by the Chair which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by law.

Minutes prepared by SM

Minutes approved on Tuesday, Nov 12, 2024