Fayville Hall Update

The Southborough Historical Society is delighted to announce it has reached a final agreement with Jon Delli Priscoli, the current owner of Fayville Hall, to acquire the property.

JDP, as Mr. Delli Priscoli is almost universally known, has agreed to donate the building to the Society for $100. Providing the Southborough Board of Selectmen release their right of first refusal, which will hopefully occur this week, renovations will begin right after Labor Day, as site plans and permits are already in place.

Fayville Hall, shown here about 1930, is about to return to its former glory.

Draft drawings of the interior reveal many features that will vastly increase residents’ enjoyment of the building.

The 2000 sq ft. basement will be entirely finished to include a catering kitchen and a “makers'” space that will allow for classes and workshops in the arts and crafts as well as mouth-watering culinary explorations.

The first floor, of the same size, will be converted into museum and exhibit space, and will be used to host lectures, events and other paying functions. The Society hopes to name this floor the Matison Gallery, after our late and beloved friend, Kate Matison, who worked so tirelessly over decades to preserve the history of Southborough, and who was the chief mover behind Southborough’s recent Downtown National Register District.

The second floor, again roughly 2000 sq ft,  will be converted into a state-of-the-art archival, research and office space to house the Society’s ever-growing collections.

The exterior of the building will be completely restored to its 1914 appearance, complete with cast iron entrance fountain. Once work is completed, a preservation restriction will be placed on the property, which will hopefully then serve as an historical anchor in a part of Southborough that has faced considerable development pressure.  Plans also being contemplated include hosting a small farmer’s market in the parking lot on certain Saturdays to allow local growers a place to sell their wares, as well as other outdoor events throughout the year.

Work is expected to take 9 months and cost 1.2 million dollars, with the goal of providing Southborough with a thriving new history and cultural center for the 21st century (and hopefully beyond!)

Disagreement Brews in the Old Burial Ground

The occupants of the Old Burial Ground have seen their share of conflict and dissent, and it looks like a new round is about to open above them.

Over the last several weeks, the Southborough Historical Commission (which I head) has received a number of complaints about the flags flying in the old burial ground.

A little background: at some point in the 1990’s, a group of veterans decided it would be appropriate to commemorate those who had served the fledgling United States with a special memorial. Later in 2002, a large plaque was added marking the death of the three men who died during combat. And at some point after that (the timeline is very unclear) six revolutionary-era battle flags were placed in a semi-circle at the entrance to the Old Burial Ground.

And that’s pretty much how it stood until recently when a number of residents contacted the Commission objecting to the fact that one of the flags flying was the Gadsden Flag, which over the last decade has recently been co-opted by various White Supremacists groups (You can read more about that HERE, HERE,    HERE, and HERE. The trigger, I am guessing, was the very prominent and disgraceful role that the Gadsden flag played in the recent Capital Hill riots.

 

In response to these complaints the SHC decided to do a little investigating in preparation for a report to the Board of Selectmen, who have ultimate say in this matter.

The flags currently flying are these:

The Culpepper Minuteman flag from Virginia
The  Gadston Flag from SC; with another a similar variant
The Bunker Hill Flag (with the tree)
The Moultrie flag, again from SC
The Bedford Flag

 

Grand Union Flag - WikipediaOf these, only two have anything vaguely to do with the veterans buried there, and the most relevant flag, the Continental Colors flag hoisted by George Washington in Cambridge 1775 , is not flying at all.

The other issue, and to my eyes, equally relevant, is that these six small flags are impaling the unmarked gravesites below. When this monument was conceived in the 1990s, a ground-radar survey hadn’t yet been conducted by the Society, which proved conclusively that this area is full of active burials, whose headstones were shattered or lost during the 1938 hurricane.

>So at this point, it seemed a prudent move to reconsider the whole matter, and the Historical Commission voted 6-0 last week to send the following letter to the Board of Selectmen:

Ladies and Gentlemen,
As we have already alerted you, the Historical Commission has received complaints about the choice of flags flying the Old Burial Ground. Particularly egregious to many are the two variants of the Gadsden flag, which was designed by a slave owning South Carolinian and has become linked to white supremacist groups including the Ku Klux Klan. These associations are not new; many date back to the 1960s. You may also wish to read this recent article in the Miami Herald by Harvard Professor Noah Feldman noting that the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has called for “a careful investigation to see whether recent uses of the flag have been sufficiently “racially tinged” that it could count as harassment.”

Last night, the SHC voted 6-0 to urge the BOS to undertake an immediate review of these flags, with an aim to:
1) moving the current semi-circle of flags out of the actual burial area to preserve the integrity of those buried beneath the poles. The current poles are actually piercing the unmarked graves below.
2) removing flags of the South Carolina and Virginia regiments that carry such negative associations to people of color, and replacing them with flags that actually represent the veterans buried there. 
The Historical Commission has done considerable research as to which flags would be appropriate for the period and to the individual buried veterans involved, and would be happy to share that guidance with you if requested. 
Cordially, 
Michael Weishan, Chair
Southborough Historical Commission 

 

It seems this letter, combined with our earlier outreach directly to the veterans responsible for the care and upkeep of the site, sparked some “white hot rhetoric” (to quote BOS Chair Marty Healey) directed at the Board of Selectmen from people who feel that any changes to the flags are akin to desecration and disrespect. Personally, I don’t agree. If this were South Carolina and these flags were actually part of Southborough history, it would be a different story. But we aren’t in South Carolina and these aren’t our banners (and thankfully not our history), and given that these symbols have taken on a very ominous meaning for some of our residents, there his no historically justifiable reason to provoke residents who feel strongly on this matter. (And personally, I would like to see these flags moved to positions that don’t stab into the buried dead regardless.)

 

So what do you think? Feel free to comment below. (Note, unlike mysouthborough, we don’t allow anonymous postings, so you have to have the public courage of your convictions.)  Also, one of our high-school students has started, on her own initiative, a petition directed at the BOS to have the Gadsden flag removed. If you agree, you can sign it HERE.  At writing, it was half-way to its 100-person target.

Last Call for Southborough’s Holiday House Idea Tour Tickets!

just a reminder that the number of available tickets for the Holiday House Ideas Tour on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM  is dwindling rapidly.

Do you want to  peek behind the magical holiday curtain and be inspired for your own holiday decorating?

Have you purchased your ticket for the Holiday House Ideas Tour on  Saturday, Nov. 30? We have had an overwhelming response and expect to sell out sometime next week (11/18+). Don’t be shut out!!

Heather McDougall, owner of local shop At Number 10 and SHS’s Board Member Kate Battles have arranged a fantastic lineup of homes that will be dressed to the nines for the holidays, providing you with plenty of inspiration. One of the stops will be the recently completed chapel at the Burnett House! Plus, there will be live demonstrations throughout the day of essential holiday skills such as making your own deluxe ribbons for pennies, and the Museum will be decorated and serving refreshments.

Make sure to follow the House Tour page @southboroughhousetour to keep up with the planning. Tickets are $30* and are available at Heather’s shop, At Number 10 (3 East Main Street, Southborough) or at the Museum on Sundays 12-2pm.

The official PASSBOOK will be available At Number 10 a few days before the event or at the Museum the day of the event. This will give you descriptions of all the stops on the tour and your options for the day’s activities.

LIMITED tickets remain. Please stop by At Number 10, 3 East Main Street, Southborough, to purchase a ticket.

Note: ticket sales are non-refundable except in case of cancellation of the event. Due to the quirky historic nature of some of the private homes on the tour, that portion of the event is not handicap accessible due to potential stairs and uneven surfaces is not recommended with those with mobility issues. Children under 8 are discouraged, due to the fragile nature of some of the displays.

Southborough Historical Society Receives 10K Grant

The Society’s Kate Battles, Sally Watters, Rebecca Deans-Rowe accept the check from Andrew Abu and Marybeth Strickland at the Community House Thursday evening.

We are DEE-lighted, as Teddy Roosevelt would have said, to announce that the Society has received a 10K grant from the Southborough Community Fund. As in previous years, this contribution is intended to be both an end and a means—that is, to fund crucial work at the Society, as well as to challenge other donors to join our preservation efforts. We’ll be starting our annual fund raising campaign shortly, and hope this will be the first of many generous contributions towards preserving Southborough’s history. Thank you again SCF!

Candidates Preservation Forum: November 2017

Dear Friends,

As you know, we have a special election tomorrow for Selectman, and as is now our custom, the Southborough Historical Society asks the candidates questions relevant to historical preservation in Southborough.  Two responded: Sam Stivers and Doriann Jasinski.

NB: Tomorrow’s voting is at Trottier gym only.


Responses from Sam Stivers:

What is your position on the 61A parcel on Deerfoot Road? Should the voters be allowed to decide whether or not to acquire the parcel at town meeting?
Yes.

Would you support placing the decision on acquiring all future 61A parcels automatically in front of the voters?

I support the preservation of open space in the Town. I believe that there should be a process for consideration of all Chapter 61 parcels (including not just 61A parcels) when the Town has the option to exercise a Right of First Refusal (ROFR). This process could include the Open Space Preservation Commission (OSPC), the Planning Board, the Conservation Commission, the Historical Commission and other Town committees with interests related to this issue, to assess the value of such parcels and determine if the limited resources available for such purchases are aligned with the Town’s prioritization of available properties. In fact, such a process is in the final development stage by the “Chapter 61 Working Group”, and I support this. I do not support “automatic” Town Meeting consideration of purchase of such parcels, as the new Chapter 61 process will provide broadly based expert input to determine which possible acquisitions should go to the voters. Additionally, I support the preservation of open space in the Town via methods other than Chapter 61 ROFR—such as outright purchase of development rights as we did for the Chestnut Hill Farm. The challenge is to find ways to fund these acquisitions.

Study after study has shown that taxes on single family homes don’t cover their cost to the Town, and each new build actually contributes to higher rates for everyone. Given that, what would you propose to limit further development and increase the quality of life for current residents?

The Advisory Committee did such a study several years ago, confirming that additional residential development likely results in a net cost to the Town. Because development is largely controlled by the Town’s zoning bylaws (managed by the Planning Board), modification of the development process is something that starts with the Planning Board. I support a Planning Board initiative to update the zoning bylaws, which can address growth and other issues. The Selectmen can collaborate with the Planning Board on such an initiative. However, I do not support outright restricting or limiting development. We need to find a balance between preserving what we value in Town – open space and historic resources – while allowing appropriate new development for both residential and commercial uses at a scale and rate that the Town can support. Our Master Plan can provide guidance relative to these questions, and our Master Plan should be revisited and updated as necessary.

Additionally, the Selectmen can help manage the Town’s exposure to “unfriendly” 40B housing projects by smart planning to meet our Housing Plan objectives. Using funds in the Housing Trust Fund and CPA housing reserve accounts (which currently total over a half-million dollars) we can work with developers and/or nonprofits to create “neighborhood friendly” small-scale 40B housing projects so we can meet our housing obligations through a process the Town controls, instead of reacting to developer proposals.

If the majority of home-owners in a particular area of Town favored the creation of an historic district, would this have your support?

I support this concept. I would need to see the specific details before I can support a particular proposal. I strongly favor preserving the Town’s historical qualities that make us uniquely Southborough. That identity adds value to our homes, our community and our businesses.

What other ideas do you have to promote and protect the historic nature of Southborough?

As a Selectmen I will support the Historical Commission and the Planning Board as they develop a plan for historic preservation and priorities.


What plans might you suggest to revitalize the Main Street area economically and aesthetically once the road improvements are done?

The Town could consider creating a zoning overlay district to permit mixed-use structures in the downtown area. This could provide additional commercial/professional space as well as residential use. A key issue related to this process is transportation and parking. If we want to have more businesses and residential development in the downtown area we must consider parking. Towns with vibrant downtowns typically have municipal parking capacity out of the public view but within easy walking distance to downtown businesses. We need to address this issue as part of downtown development.

The Selectmen can also work with the Economic Development Committee to leverage the downtown development work they are doing. 

Finally, with St. Mark’s School becoming an owner (through the Golf Course land arrangement) of property with frontage on Main Street, planning and coordination with St. Mark’s development plan is desirable.

If plans were developed for a cultural corridor linking the Library, the Old Burial Ground, the Museum, the Town House, St Marks church and the cemetery, would you be generally supportive of such an idea?

I support of this concept. I would need to see the specific details of such a proposal before I can support a particular proposal.

The office of selectman is a low-paid, demanding, and time-consuming position, which often requires attendance not only at selectmen’s meetings, but also at meetings of other boards and committees. Recently, it has been noticed that a certain member of the Board has had an unusually high absentee rate, which obviously is not ideal. Are there any factors that would limit your commitment of time and energy to the Board of Selectmen?

No. My record of attendance at over 100 Town committee meetings each year demonstrates my commitment to devote the time necessary to fulfill my Town obligations. I will continue to devote the time to meet my responsibilities as a Selectman.

 

Responses from Doriann Jasinski:

What is your position on the 61A parcel on Deerfoot Road? Should the voters be allowed to decide whether to acquire the parcel at town meeting?

My position on the Deerfoot property is simply this: the voters should decide whether they want to purchase the property.  I would also hope that the voters take into thoughtful consideration how the neighbors feel about the purchase by the Town.

Would you support placing the decision on acquiring all future 61A parcels automatically in front of voters?

I don’t believe that placing any restriction on future 61A properties is a good idea. I do believe that the taxpayers have the right to vote on whether they want to assume the tax liability for the purchases. The value of all 61A properties are not the same and need to be looked at on an individual basis.

 Study after study has shown that taxes on single family homes don’t cover their cost to the Town and each new build contributes to higher taxes for everyone. Given that, what would you propose to limit further development and increase the quality of life for current residents?

I would not limit development for several reasons.  First, development helps us meet our future needs as a community. It provides jobs which help boost our economy.  Property owners have the right to develop their land as they wish, providing they follow our town by-laws.  I am against taking away property owner rights or stopping development.

Southborough loves its Open Space. One way to increase the quality of life for current residents is to value our Open Space.  Communities need open space to provide passive recreational areas such as walking trails.  I am in favor of protecting our Open Space and purchasing more as time goes on to help enhance the charm and character of our Town.  Our Open Space Commission is a very productive group of individuals who have a prioritized list of parcels for future purchases which would enhance our community.

If the majority of home owners in a particular area of town favored the creation of an historic district, would this have your support?

I would absolutely be in favor in the creation of a historic district in our Town.

What other ideas do you have to promote and protect the historic nature of Southborough?

First, I believe we need to educate the residents about the rich history of our Town.  Many people don’t know the history of Southborough.  When we were considering the details of the Burnett House purchase, that is when the history was given.  I would suggest having an annual town wide get together to promote the rich history of Southborough.  Having interactive games and maybe have the children do a play of some sort would make it fun for people of all ages to attend.

What plans might you suggest to revitalize the Main Street area economically and aesthetically once the road improvements are done?

We do need to revitalize our downtown to help promote business for the existing businesses there.  The Economic Development Committee just completed a survey to ask people what they wanted in their downtown area.  The results are detailed as listed below:

90% want more restaurants; 67% want more retail shops.  Aesthetics are important and the Downtown “feel” is essential.  Historic buildings, signage and markers are highly valued.  People want more “public spaces”.

Personally, I would agree that all the above are important and needs a closer look at how to get this done without a major impact on all our taxes.  Better landscaping, benches, adding flowers and containers with plantings is also an idea to add charm to the downtown.  The Southborough Gardeners may be able to help with this idea.

If plans were developed for a cultural corridor linking the Library, the Old Burial Ground, the Museum, the Town House, St Marks Church and the Cemetery, would you be generally supportive of such an idea?

Yes, I would be supportive of that idea.  The area is such an important piece of “Southborough Charm” which we all love and appreciate.

The Office of Selectmen is a low-paid, demanding and time-consuming position, which often requires attendance not only at Selectmen’s meetings, but also at meetings of other boards and committees. Recently, it has been noticed that a certain member of the Board has had an unusually high absentee rate, which obviously is not ideal.  Are there any factors that would limit your commitment of time and energy to the Board of Selectmen?

I have both the time and the energy to get the job done.  I can’t speak for other members of the Board, but I personally have attended the Selectmen’s meetings, a few Conservation, Planning Board, Zoning Board, Personnel Board, Personnel Board Working Group, Public Safety Building, Golf meetings (just to name a few!)

There are no factors which limit my commitment to getting the job done.

History Waits for No Weather

ANDERS ZORN Swedish, (1860-1920) STORM (1891)

Ladies and Gentlemen,

History waits for no weather.

Heritage Day is officially on! Come to the Museum tomorrow October 9 2017 at noon to see the 1868 Falcon fire engine do its stuff, plus view recent acquisitions.

The fun starts at noon!

Heavenly Approbation?

Dear History Friends,

I was working today at the Museum with our wonderful senior assistant, Donna McDaniel, in the extended process of getting our photographic and paper collections organized. Donna (our first woman Selectman back in the day) had left about 20 minutes earlier for one of her two additional engagements in Worcester and Sudbury (in one day, and this lady remembers FDR!!, wow!) when suddenly a storm came up, the skies darkened, and it rained a summer-storm white-out. It was really something: fierce, yet all water. When I looked out the window at the passing, this is what I saw:

How often do you see a rainbow over the Old Burial Ground, where not only our first European settlers, but also our Native American fore-bearers, the Nipmuc Tribe, are buried? Or for that matter, how often do you see a rainbow on the ground, period? In my 52-odd years, this is a first. Unfortunately, Donna, a long time reporter, was not here to witness this event and confirm the viewing, but I assure you this is a real photo, and hopefully a sign of heavenly approbation for our continuing efforts at preserving Southborough’s centuries-old history.

Empty the Trailer Day — Tomorrow Saturday May 13th!

Ladies and Gentlemen of Good Will and Strong Backs:

Tomorrow is empty the trailer day, when we finally return the collection to the Museum. We need five or six more people to help us 9-2ish. Come for any part of this, or the long haul. Work will require carrying boxes, moving furniture etc so volunteers must be able and willing.

Please email me at michael dot weishan at southboroughhistory dot org if you can come, or are nominating a willing child, partner or spouse.

 

Ms. Lisa Braccio Responds to the Candidates Preservation Forum

Given the argument above on the fluidity of Town board makeup, would you commit now to placing a preservation restriction to protect the exterior of Fayville Town Hall before it is sold? If not, why not?
I am in favor of protecting the Historic Fayville Village Hall and believe we can do it in a way that preserves the building and allows the town to receive a fair price for the building and land. Town Meeting has made it clear more than once that protecting this building is a high priority. I will recommend that we work with the Historical Commission to engage the services of a consultant knowledgeable in Historical Properties Real Estate to guide us as we develop the RFP.  I believe that there can be benefit drafting the RFP to include the requirement that a Preservation Restriction be placed on Fayville Hall by the purchaser, which could provide them with tax benefits. These are complicated issues which is why I recommend we engage the services of an expert.

Study after study has shown that taxes on single family homes don’t cover their cost to the Town, and each new build actually contributes to higher rates for everyone. Given that, what would you propose to limit further development and increase the quality of life for current residents?

This is a complicated question –

First, we need development to meet our future as our society and needs change and to provide for a robust economy. Additionally, property owners have a right to full value of their property under our zoning code bylaws. I am not in favor of taking away property rights or curtailing development.

We also know that healthy communities need open space. A recent economic study in Marlborough found that business owners list open space and trails as the number one amenity they are looking for when considering which towns to locate in. Marlborough’s Economic Development Corporation was surprised by this but then moved to help create trails that connected to local businesses and parks.

Open space and a healthy economy can certainly go hand in hand.

As an Open Space Commissioner for 12 years and current Chair I am in favor of protecting the most important open spaces in town. However, we know we can’t afford to protect it all, which is why the Open Space Preservation Commission works on prioritizing which parcels have the most value as open space.

If the majority of home-owners in a particular area of Town favored the creation of an historic district, would this have your support?
Absolutely, Kate Matison spoke in much detail at a meeting of St. Marks Golf Course Master Plan Committee.  I think it enhances our Town and makes it more desirable.

Would you support the Town acquiring any open parcels that come out of agricultural use to prevent their development?
I don’t believe the Town should purchase land to prevent development, I am not against development. Some parcels of land, however are more important than others to be protected based on the open space value. Recently the Open Space Preservation Commission has included a focus on agricultural lands as an added priority, of particular concern are prime farmland soil which is a valuable and quickly disappearing asset. Our beautiful hay fields are also a priority for a visual connection to our rural heritage and important habitat for grassland birds they provide. Species like the bobolink are disappearing from our landscape due to the lack of habitat.

The Open Space and Recreation Plan, which is approved by both the Selectman and the State has a comprehensive list of priority parcels for preservation.  The Open Space Preservation Commission evaluates open space parcels based on their agricultural, historical, passive recreational, wildlife habitat values and scenic views when deciding which parcels to prioritize.  Preventing development is never a consideration.

What other ideas do you have to promote and protect the historic nature of Southborough?

First I believe people will protect that which they are familiar with, so I am in favor of creating a town wide trail that visits our historical properties with markers or links to a virtual map that identifies the history behind the many buildings and places that the average citizen may not be aware of. Potentially calling it the Southborough History Trail.  This concept was discussed during the effort to preserve the Burnett House.

I also have heard that Deb Costine has led talks on the History of the Burnett Family and I think we need more activities like this.

Once people are more knowledgeable about Southborough’s History it will be easier to promote preservation.

What plans might you suggest to revitalize the Main Street area economically and aesthetically once the road improvements are done?

Great questions.  Unfortunately, the Main Street reconstruction is only being upgraded to Latisquama Rd. and not our downtown.

I propose working with the Planning Board and the Economic Development Committee to brainstorm on what can be done to upgrade the infrastructure in our downtown. A lot can be done to make it aesthetically pleasing, the road needs to be redone, brick sidewalks, imitation gas lights, flower plantings, benches and maybe a pocket park.  A more aesthetically pleasing downtown would bring more people to the area which would make the area a more desire location for businesses.  I would look into what grant funding is available to help fund these improvements.

And finally, if plans were developed for a cultural corridor linking the Library, the Old Burial Ground, the Museum, the Town House, St Marks church and the cemetery, would you be generally supportive of such an idea?

Yes, that section of our Town is so historic and beautiful it would be wonderful to see the area be better utilized. I would take it further and I would recommend a larger trail system as described above.