Historical Commission Meeting

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Monday, November 10, 2025, 7:00 pm until 8:30 pm
Online only: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86125147556
A meeting of the Historical Commission

Meeting of Historical Commission

Members: (Quorum)

• 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 7:12 PM
• Present: Eva Gibavic, at 7:00 PM

Also Present:

• Pleun Bouricius
• Heather Armstrong

See original Agenda Draft Minutes * * *

Meeting opened: 7:00 PM

Meeting closed: 9:05 PM

0. Meeting Preliminaries

   • Meeting Opened / Attendance Taken (see above).

   • Minutes Approved: Tue, Oct 14 - Historical Commission meeting

1. Historical Events

   • Society for Industrial Archaeology - Society for Industrial Archaeology - Sawmill River Industrial Corridor Tour April 2026 - planning

     General Discussion...
     Pleun Bouricius joined the Commission to discuss the archaeological program planned for April 2026 with the Southern New England Chapter. We discussed the plan for the meeting. Pleun will act as a guide for the event and is working on drafting a 'Discovery Tour' document. The focus will be on how water power evolved in the last 250 years, including the history of the sawmill and the various Graves enterprises, with a special focus on the Ironworks.
     
     The Baptist Church will be contacted to seek permission for the use of their parish hall for coffee at the beginning of the day (9:00) and permission to use the parking lot. Carole has offered her rehabilitated blacksmith barn for soup and sandwiches after the tour.
     
     SWCA's survey and mapping is projected to be complete by that time to compliment the LiDAR already completed by Tom Elmore of GeoNav.

2. Conditions Assessment of Leverett Cemeteries

   • Update - Update on conditions assessment in three of Leverett's historic cemeteries.

     General Discussion...
     Carole is making progress on arrangements for the assessment of the cemetery stones. She has been in contact with and has a quote from Ta Mara Conde of Historic Gravestone Services and she is awaiting a response in late November from Beyond the Gravestone in Storrs, CT.

3. Oversight of Historical Assets

   • CPA Annual Review - Details of the 2025 tour of CPA-funded sites.

     General Discussion...
     Not discussed.

   • Ironworks Mapping - Status of archaeological mapping at Heritage Park/Ironworks site.

     General Discussion...
     Awaiting SWCA report and mapping.

   • Properties - Update on - Field Library/Museum (Town of Leverett in partnership with LHS); 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).

     General Discussion...
     Anne reported that the plan is to have the public forums in February with a planned Town Meeting vote at the spring town meeting. Eric Gradoia will hopefully have his conditions report completed by that time. At the public forum, the plan is to have various options will be presented, including moving the building/leaving it in its present location, and possible future uses for the building, including selling the building. Julie Shively has indicated that the Leverett Historical Society is not interested in owning the building, but is interested in continuing the current use arrangement with town ownership.
     
     

4. Reports from Other Town Committees

   • Historical Commission rep on CPC - Reports from other committees and boards.

     General Discussion...
     Eva raised a concern voiced at the recent CPC meeting about the FONLS plan to cut the saw carriage in order to provide access to the main floor of the sawmill. Member of the CPC expressed concern that this was the primary historical aspect of the sawmill still present and that it being cut would diminish the historical preservation attributes of the proposal. Eva suggested that the LHC should consider its position on this issue and, after consideration, make its position known to the CPC.
     
     Susan L suggested that the Commission meet at the sawmill to look at the carriage and listen to the options that the FONLS have considered as a basis for further discussion at the December LHC meeting. November 23 was suggested as a possible date, to be confirmed with other members of FONLS. Susan L suggested that they might well want to invite the CPC for a similar visit to the sawmill at a later date.

5. Embodied History - Timber Industry Program

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

6. Historical Signage

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

7. HC membership

   • Update - HC membership/role changes

8. New Business

   • Public input - Topics brought to HC for future consideration

     General Discussion...
     Heather Armstrong, granddaughter of Ruth Field, mentioned that there was an inventory of the museum contents upstairs in the Field Library. She had not been to the building since the Library was moved, however. Eva indicated that the LHC/LHS scanning project had not found such a list. Heather said that she might have a copy and that she would look for it.

9. Meeting Wrap-up

   • Next Meetings:
     1. Sun, Nov 23, at 1:00 PM "Historical Commission Meeting" -- Online only: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86125147556
     2. Mon, Dec 8, at 7:00 PM "Historical Commission Meeting" -- Online only: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86125147556
     3. Mon, Jan 12, at 7:00 PM "Historical Commission Meeting" -- Online only: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86125147556

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 Eva Gibavic