2006-09-00-CPC-rpt (Needs Assessment Report)

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Town of Lexington Community Preservation Plan Historic Preservation ________________________________________________ Background The Town of Lexington is rich in cultural resources. Its role in the Revolutionary War has created a stewardship responsibility of its historical sites that extends to the nation at large; its later role in commercial expansion due to the arrival of the railroad created a building boom of thth late 19 and early 20 century housing stock that continues to distinguish the Town. Structures of the recent past – Moon Hill, Five Fields and the Peacock Farm enclaves throughout Town, among others – enhance Lexington’s diverse architectural heritage. Lexington has received national and state recognition of its historic resources: four properties or areas, the Battle Green, Buckman Tavern, the Hancock-Clarke House, and the Minuteman National Historical Park, have been designated as National Historic Landmarks by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior. Eleven additional properties are individually listed on the National and State Registers of Historic Places, in addition to the Town’s listed National Register Historic Districts (The Lexington Green Historic District, the Buckman Tavern Historic District, and the Sanderson House - Munroe Tavern Historic District) and their contributing properties. The Metropolitan State Hospital Multiple Property National Register listing, shared with the towns of Belmont and Waltham, also contains a number of significant buildings. In total, approximately 600 properties are protected through inclusion within one or another of the Town-established local historic districts (Battle Green, East Village, Hancock-Clarke, Munroe Tavern). The Town has recognized this wealth: in its “Vision Statement: Fostering a Sense of Community” prepared by the Vision 2020 group, the first vision listed is that of appreciation of the Town’s history, through the “preservation and celebration of historic Town assets, including local events and interest points as well as Lexington’s national attractions.” And in the Planning Board’s 2002 Comprehensive Plan, “The Lexington we Want,” the authors recognize that our stewardship responsibility to our Revolutionary War Heritage has been executed “with effective care” but at the same time urge the adoption of a preservation plan that would rationalize preservation efforts throughout the town. Our history enhances our sense of place, attracting people to come and live here – and stay. The impact of our historic resources also extends beyond the boundaries of the Town, providing educational opportunities for the nation’s youth and for historical scholars and bringing important tourist dollars to nourish the local economy. Resources To manage these cultural resources, the Town employs a powerful array of tools. These tools including oversight by the Lexington Historic Districts Commission, the Lexington Historical 10