2013-12-00-CPC-rpt (Needs Assessment Report)

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CURRENT RESOURCES To manage these cultural resources, the Town employs a powerful array of tools. They include oversight by the Lexington Historic Districts Commission, the Lexington Historical Commission, the Design Advisory Committee and, for those resources located in the Town Center, the Lexington Center Committee. Two nationally known historic resources are located within Lexington, the Masonic National Heritage Museum and the Minuteman National Historical Park, which is part of the National Park System. Historical Districts Commission (HDC) The Historic Districts Commission of Lexington was established in 1956 by Special Act of the Legislature to "promote the educational, cultural, economic and general welfare of the public through the preservation and protection of historic buildings, places and districts through the development of appropriate settings for said buildings, places and districts and through the maintenance of said buildings, places and districts as landmarks of historic interest." The HDC ensures that development or demolition of properties within the four historic districts may proceed only following a determination of appropriateness. The five full and four alternate members of the HDC are appointed by the Selectmen, at large, and from candidates proposed by the Historical Society, the Arts and Crafts Society, and the Cary Library Trustees. Lexington Historical Commission (LHC) Similarly, the Lexington Historical Commission was created in 1975 by vote of Town Meeting "for the preservation, protection and development of the historical or archeological resources" of the Town. The LHC has prepared an inventory of historical structures located throughout the Town that documents over 1,700 buildings, structures and objects and is accessible through the Town web site. The LHC administers the Town's Demolition Delay Bylaw to ensure that every effort is made to preserve these historically and architecturally significant structures. The LHC also endeavors to educate citizens on the breadth and importance of Lexington's cultural heritage. The five members of the LHC are appointed by the Town Manager. Lexington Historical Society On a private level, the Lexington Historical Society plays a number of key roles, including the ownership of the Hancock -Clarke House, Munroe Tavern and the Depot and management of Buckman Tavern under lease from the Town, as well as through publications, the presentation of educational programs and the maintenance of an important archive. The National Heritage Museum The National Heritage Museum, founded and supported by the Scottish Rite Freemasons, also provides resources and programs on American history and culture that draw national and international visitors and complement the cultural management efforts of the Town. 12