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Leverett
Massachusetts
Town of Leverett
9 Montague Road
Leverett, MA 01054
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Historical Commission Meeting

Monday, June 9, 2025, 7:00 pm until 8:30 pm
Online and in-person at Town Hall Topic: Historical Commission Meeting - Join Zoom Meeting: Meeting ID: 848 0606 91; Passcode: 254618
A meeting of the Historical Commission

Meeting of Historical Commission

Members: (Quorum)

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

See original Agenda Final Minutes

Meeting opened: 7:15 PM

Meeting closed: 9:10 PM

  1. Meeting Preliminaries

  2. CPA Letters of Support

    • LOS - FONLS request 2024 - CD draft needs to be finalized.

      General Discussion...
      Susan L. informed the commissioners that FONLS has modified the architect's plan to eliminate the deck on the Cave Hill side of the sawmill. That change will maintain the historic facade that was an issue for the Historic Commission in fulfilling the terms of the Historic Preservation Restriction (HPR) on page 2, 2.1 (b) 'Nothing shall be erected or allowed to grow on the property which would impair the visibility of the Sawmill from North Leverett Road or Cave Hill Road'.

      Susan L. requested that Susan M. read a note from the architecture firm, Clark & Green + Bek, from Steve McAlister, lead architect -
      'Hi, Susan,

      The mill can be entered from the front, as seen from the highway, through the last open bay, near the Cave Hill Road end of the building This is shown in the attached drawings, and it’s accessible. The entry porch would remain, offering a view over the millpond through the log entry portal, which would be equipped with a simple guardrail to prevent falls. The existing historical door would serve as a required second exit but could also be used as an entry depending on how the building is used. A four-foot-wide walkway would run along the front of the building but far enough from the siding to allow it to be maintained- hopefully two feet.

      This design solution allows for universal access and brings everyone near the water to make the pond a pleasant part of their experience of entering the building. Universal access is the concept that everyone, regardless of physical ability, enters through the same door- no discrimination. By using the last bay of the mill as an open porch, we create a much more welcoming and socially stimulating “hangout” entry, as compared with just the single opaque door that is the current entry. The existing door would continue in use as a second means of egress, which we are obliged by the building code to have. The new approach to the entry also helps people follow and understand the process of bringing in logs and running them through the mill.

      I believe that this is an efficient, affordable, readily constructible and historically appropriate means of accommodating people into the building, and will help to retain its special character. This is especially true in that it retains one of the original bay openings as it historically was, open to the weather with no sheathing or glazing. It really gets the idea over as to what a rugged, simple, purely industrial structure it always was.

      Hope that helps.
      Best,
      Steve

      Steve McAlister'

      FONLS requests that the HC write a generic letter of support that can be used for any future grant application.
      '

  3. HC membership

    • Update - HC membership/role changes

      General Discussion...
      Susan M. suggests that LHC try a model where each member posts, runs and records a meeting as an interim measure to allow her to stay officially as chair but limit her responsibilities during a stressful time due to health adjustments and other personal commitments. Carole cannot commit in the next few months. Ann T. is willing to try to organize the CPA-funded properties review in July. We will ask Eva if she is willing to lead the August meeting, at which discussion of the LHC support for the FONLS sawmill plan can be continued. Susan M. will update the CPA Review templates for the yearly review to pass them on to Ann T. Where they can be stored and accessible to the public is discussed. No resolution is immediately obvious. There is a question about whether they should be posted to the CPC page or LHC page on the town website or both? To be continued.

  4. Reports from Other Town Committees

    • Historical Commission rep on CPC - Discussion of role of Historical Commission representative on the Community Preservation Committee. Changes at the CPC.

  5. Conditions Assessment of Leverett Cemeteries

    • Update - Update on putting together an RFP for using funds from last year's town meeting allocation to estimate costs associated with doing the needed repair work in three of Leverett's historic cemeteries.

      General Discussion...
      Susan M. and Carole report on attending the Leverett Cemetery Association's annual meeting on May 13, 2025. The question of how much responsibility the Historical Commission (LHC) wants to take for the status of the cemeteries remains open. The Leverett Cemetery Association (LCA) is concerned with the condition of the cemeteries, but does not shoulder responsibility for anything other than than grounds maintenance. Individual LCA members are interested in partnering with LHC to explore avenues of funding for restoration of for example, the Moore's Corner/Rattlesnake Gutter tomb. Possible sources include Leverett's CPA fund or a warrant article at town meeting requesting funding, thus creating a public/private partnership. A restorer has approached the LHC regarding evaluating the cemeteries. Carole will follow up with him. We will need to have a list of items in need of repair to guide that visit.

  6. Oversight of Historical Assets

    • HPR - Update - HPR for stone features

    • Ironworks Mapping - Next steps in archaeological mapping at Heritage Park/Ironworks site.

      General Discussion...
      An RFP went out 5/15/25 to map the 4.5 ac of land sculpted to power the Graves Ironworks., to four prospective archaeological firms. Proposals are due by 6/15/25. It is hoped that a proposal will be chosen and approved to go to contract by July 1, 2025. GeoNAV is processing the scanned LiDAR data which wil be provided to the archaeologists chosen to do the mapping. It is hoped that the work can be completed in 2025.

    • 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...
      (Susan M. published the 5/12/25 meeting minutes without instituting the edits approved by the commissioners under the 'Properties Update - specifically on the Moore's Corner Schoolhouse. The edited version is offered below as a correction to the claim that the edited version was instituted on the May minutes:

      'The Field Tavern continues its downward slide. The hole in the roof getting larger by the week. There are some reports that the family has a potential buyer and that it would be demolished. Numerous members described this as a very tragic situation.

      The CPC did not forward the Historical Society’s proposal for funding of the Moore's Corner School House to Town Meeting. The Society plans to use privately raised funds and some deeply discounted labor by local contractors to repair a significantly rotted plate on the second floor, NE corner immediately. One concern raised by the CPC was whether the plans for septic and water are feasible and the Society now plans to approach the BOH to seek approval of a composting toilet in the outhouse. In future applications to the CPC the LHS intends to offer more descriptive plans for items like the accessible ramp, even though the final design of such a feature will be done once the funding is secured.')

  7. Embodied History - Timber Industry Program

    • Embodied History - Update on Timber Industry film and program. Embodied History topics?

  8. Leverett's 250th Anniversary

  9. Historical Signage

    • Industrial History Markers - Update - Signage for Cave Hill, Federal Mill and Roaring Brook Mill

  10. New Business

    • Public input - Topics brought to HC for future consideration

  11. Meeting Wrap-up

    • Next Meetings:
      1. Mon, Jul 14, at 7:00 PM "Historical Commission Meeting" -- Online and in-person at Town Hall Topic: Historical Commission Meeting - Join Zoom Meeting: Meeting ID: 848 0606 91; Passcode: 254618
      2. Mon, Aug 25, at 6:00 PM "Historical Commission Meeting" -- Online and in-person at Town Hall Topic: Historical Commission Meeting - Join Zoom Meeting: Meeting ID: 848 0606 91; Passcode: 254618
      3. Mon, Sep 22, at 7:00 PM "Historical Commission meeting" -- Online and in-person at Town Hall Topic: Historical Commission Meeting - Join Zoom Meeting: Meeting ID: 848 0606 91; Passcode: 254618
      4. Tue, Oct 14, at 7:00 PM "Historical Commission meeting" -- Online and in-person at Town Hall Topic: Historical Commission Meeting - Join Zoom Meeting: Meeting ID: 848 0606 91; Passcode: 254618
      5. Mon, Nov 10, at 7:00 PM "Historical Commission Meeting" -- Online and in-person at Town Hall Topic: Historical Commission Meeting - Join Zoom Meeting: Meeting ID: 848 0606 91; Passcode: 254618
      6. Sun, Nov 23, at 1:00 PM "Historical Commission Meeting" -- Online and in-person at Town Hall Topic: Historical Commission Meeting - Join Zoom Meeting: Meeting ID: 848 0606 91; Passcode: 254618

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 Thursday, Sep 18, 2025