HomeMy WebLinkAbout1981-09-21-HC-min.pdf Lexington Historical Commission
Minutes of the Meeting of September 21, 1981
Members present: Sara Chase, Morton Gilman,
Ann Grady, ex officio
The Lexington Historical Commission met at 7 : 30 p.m.
in Room 111 of the Town Office Building on September 21,
1981. Discussion focussed on the need to fill two positions
left vacant due to expired terms, and on the problem of
finding a Chairman for the coming year. The consensus was
that it would be a good idea to meet with some of the peo-
ple who submitted their names to the Talent Bank and indi-
cated their interest in the Historical Commission. In
addition, Chase agreed to call some other people who might
be interested in serving.
Corollary discussion of the duties of the Chairman of
the Commission included the mention of the need to super-
vise completion of the survey and inventory, to prepare
annual budgets, to respond to local preservation issues such
as conversion of the Hancock and Adams Schools, and to gen-
erate ideas for preservation action in Lexington.
Problems surrouding the conversion of Adams School
(residential or commercial use seemed likely) were debated.
The sense of the meeting was that controls were needed to
prevent deleterious exterior changes, and that the imposition
of preservation restrictions, or the extension of the pre-
sent historic district boundary would serve the purpose.
Grady agreed to draft a letter to that effect to be sent to
the Adams School Conversion Committee (Jim Crain) on behalf
of the Commission.
Comments concerning the clock in the tower of Follen
Church and the need to clean Sunday School student graffitti
from the interior were presented by .
Chase agreed to help with the cleaning.
Grady mentioned a call from Anita Worthen in which Wor-
then lamented the removal of historic interior material from
a house (on Grove Street?) . The Commission shared her regret,
but, since they cannot exercise any sort of control over his-
toric interior, felt that increased public education would be
in order.
Gilman suggested that the Commission consider long range
plans for publication of material from the Commission' s re-
sources. One possibility might include working with the
Lexington Historical Society, since their recent book has been
such a success.
Another suggestion was that the Commission find ways to
make the current assessor ' s information, as well as the 1961
revaluation information, available to future architectural
historians. A recommendation along these lines should be made
to the Town Manager, at least.
The meeting was adjourned at 9 :30 p.m. after a future
meeting, October 21, was set.
Respectfully submitted,
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