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Lexington Historic Districts Study Committee
March 4, 1966
To Town Meeting Members :
The Historic Districts Study Committee plans to present under
Article 48 of the Warrant for the 1966 Annual Town Meeting a pro-
posal to amend Lexington ' s Historic Districts Act by enlarging the
areas included within the three existing historic districts and by
adding a new district. This proposal represents the recommendations
of the Committee following a study made by it over a 3-year period.
Changes in the Historic Districts Act require action by the
State Legislature . The proposal to be presented under Article 48
will be for the Town Meeting to instruct the Selectmen to petition
the Legislature for enactment of legislation amending the present
Historic Districts Act to provide for the proposed changes in the
historic districts . A copy of the proposed legislation entitled,
"AN ACT ENLARGING THE EXISTING HISTORIC DISTRICTS AND ESTABLISHING
AN ADDITIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT IN THE TOWN OF LEXINGTON" is en-
closed for your information.
If the proposed legislation is enacted, there will be included
within the Town 's historic aistricts continuous areas on both sides
of Massachusetts Ave . from Hastings Park to the former East Lexing-
ton R.R. station and on both sides of Hancock Street from the rail-
road tracks to the present district boundary beyond the Hancock-
Clarke House . Briefly, the new districts would cover the following
areas :
1. Battle Green: From Hastings Park to Winthrop Road and
Woburn Street .
2. Hancock-Clarke: From the railroad tracks to #45 and #46
Hancock Street .
3 . Munroe Tavern: From Winthrop Road and Woburn Street to
Marrett Road.
4 . East Village: From Marrett Road to former East Lexington
R.R. station.
The Committee has notified the owners of real estate within the
enlarged areas of the existing districts and the area of the new
East Village District and the principal occupants of business real
estate in such areas of its proposal to recommend the inclusion of
these areas within the Town ' s histo-ic districts . There also has
teen sent to these groups a draft of the proposed legislation and a
Copy of the present Historic Districts Act . Two meetings have been
heid with the property owners and the occupants of business property
to (1iscalss tree changes and explain the application of the Act . A
report of the r;olmitee ' s study and recommendations in detail will
be made sortly to the TWY Meeting members .
Lexington Historic Districts Study Committee
r;c.9xles T. Abbott Natalie H. Riffin
Oti S . Brow , Jr. George C . Sheldon
J1lbur M. Jaquith, Chairman
AN ACT EP'LARGING THE EXISTING HISTORIC DISTRICTS AND ESTABLISHING
AN ADDITIONAL HISTORIC _IS RI:T IN TIE TOWN OF LEXINGTON
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court
assembled, and by the autnorit,;r of the same, as fullows
SECTION 1 Section 2 of chapter 447 of the acts of 1956 is hereby amended by
striking out the said section in its entirety and inserting in place thereof
the following
SECTION 2 Creation of Districts -- There are hereby established in the
Town of Lexington four historic districts to be known as (1) Battle Green Dis-
trict, (2) Hancock-Clarke District, (3) Munroe Tavern District, and (4) East
Village District, bounded as follows
Battle Green District. Beginning at the intersection of the northerly line
of Hancock avenue with the easterly line of the railroad right of way, thence
southerly and then southeasterly along the easterly and northeasterly line of
the railroad right of way to a point in said northeasterly line of the railroad
right of way distant two hundred feet southeasterly from the easterly line of
Hancock street, thence northerly along a line distant two hundred feet easterly
from and parallel to said easterly line of Hancock street one hundred and fifty
feet to a point, thence easterly in a straight line to the intersection of the
southwesterly line of Patriots drive with the westerly line of Meriam street,
thence easterly in a straight line across Meriam street to the intersection of
the easterly line of Meriam street with the southerly line of Oakland street,
thence easterly along said southerly line of Oakland street to the westerly lot
line of the property now numbered eleven Oakland street, thence southerly along
said westerly lot line and said westerly lot line extended to a point on the
northerly line of the railroad right of way, thence easterly along said north-
erly line of the railroad right of way to the northwesterly line of Woburn
street, thence southwesterly along said northwesterly line of Woburn street to
the easterly line of Fletcher avenue, thence southerly in a straight line across
Woburn street and Massachusetts avenue to the intersection of the southerly line
of Massachusetts avenue with the westerly line of Winthrop road, thence souther-
ly and then southwesterly along said westerly and the northwesterly line of Win-
throp road to a point distant two hundred fifty feet southerly from the souther-
ly line of Massachusetts avenue, thence westerly along a line distant two hun-
dred fifty feet southerly from and parallel to the southerly line of Massachu-
setts avenue to a point distant two hundred feet easterly from the easterly line
of Waltham street, thence southerly along a line distant two hundred feet east-
erly from and parallel to said easterly line of Waltham street to the northerly
lot line of the property now numbered eighty-two Waltham street, thence west-
erly along said northerly lot line to the easterly line of Waltham street,
thence westerly in a straight line to the intersection of the northerly lot line
of the property now numbered twenty-two Muzzey street with the easterly line of
Muzzey street, thence westerly in a straight line across Muzzey street to the
intersection of the westerly line of Muzzey street with the northerly line of
Raymond street, thence wes`erly along said northerly line of Raymond street to
the easterly line of Clarke street, thence northerly along said easterly line
of Clarke street to a point distant three hundred feet southerly from the south-
erly line of Massachusetts avenue, thence northwesterly and then westerly along
a line distant three hundred feet southwesterly and southerly from and parallel
to the southwesterly and southerly line of Massacnusetts avenue to the westerly
line of Forest street, uhence nortnerly along said vestprly line of Forest street
to a point two hundred feet soutnerly from the southerly line of Massachusetts
avenue, thence southwesterly along a line distant two hundred feet southerly from
and parallel to the southerly line of Massachusetts avenue to the southwesterly
line of Parker street, thence southwesterly by a straight line to the intersec-
tion of the westerly line of Worthen road with the southerly line of Lincoln
street, thence westerly and then southwesterly along said southerly and the
southeasterly line of Lincoln street to a point distant four hundred and fifty
feet westerly from the westerly line of Worthen road, thence northwesterly across
Lincoln street to the intersection of the northwesterly line of Lincoln street
with the northeasterly line of Hastings road, thence northwesterly along said
northeasterly line of Hastings road to the southeasterly line of Massachusetts
avenue, thence northwesterly in a straight line across Massachusetts avenue to
the intersection of the northwesterly line of Massachusetts avenue with the north-
easterly line of Hastings road, thence northwesterly along said northeasterly
line of Hastings road to a point distant two hundred feet northwesterly from
said northwesterly line of Massachusetts avenue, thence northeasterly along a
line distant two hundred feet northwesterly from and parallel to the northwest-
erly line of Massachusetts avenue to the southwesterly line of Worthen road,
thence northerly and then northeasterly along said southwesterly, westerly and
the northwesterly line of Worthen road to the southwesterly line of Bedford
street, thence northeasterly in a straight line across Bedford street to the
intersection of the northeasterly line of Bedford street with the southeasterly
line of Cornelia place, thence northeasterly along said southeasterly line of
Camelia place to the southwesterly line of the railroad right of way, thence
northerly in a straight line across said railroad right of way to the point of
beginning.
Hancock-Clarke District: Beginning at the intersection of the northerly
line of Hancock avenue with the easterly line of the railroad right of way,
thence southerly and then southeasterly along the easterly and northeasterly
line of the railroad right of way to a point in said northeasterly line of the
railroad right of way distant two hundred feet southeasterly from the easterly
line of Hancock streeu, thence northerly along a line distant two hundred feet
easterly from and parallel to said easterly line of Hancock street to the south-
erly lot line of the property now numbered forty-five Hancock street, thence
westerly along said southerly lot line to the easterly line of Hancock street,
thence northwesterly in a straight line across Hancock street to the intersection
of the westerly line of Hancock street with the southerly lot line of the prop-
erty now numbered forty-six Hancocic street, thence westerly along said southerly
lot line four hundred and twenty-nine feet to a point, thence southwesterly in
a straight line to a point in the easterly line of the railroad right of way
two hundred and forty-eight feet distant northerly from the northerly line of
Hancock avenue, thence southerly along said easterly line of the railroad right
of way to the point of beginning.
Munroe Tavern District: Beginning at the intersection of the southerly
line of the railroad right of way with the northwesterly line of Woburn street,
thence southwesterly along said northwesterly line of Woburn street to the east-
erly line of Fletcher avenue, thence southerly in a straight line across Woburn
street and Massachusetts avenue to the intersection of the southerly line of
Massachusetts avenue with the westerly line of Winthrop road, thence southerly
and then southwesterly along said westerly and the northwesterly line of Winthrop
road to a point distant two hundred feet southerly from the southerly line of
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Massachusetts avenue, thence easterly and then southeasterly along a line distant
two hundred feet southerly and southwesterly from and parallel to the southerly
and southwesterly line of Massachusetts avenue to the northwesterly line of
Percy road, thence southerly by a straight line across Percy road to a point in
the southeasterly line of Percy road distant two hundred feet southwesterly from
the intersection of said southeasterly line of Percy road with the westerly line
of Tavern lane, thence southerly and then southeasterly along a line distant two
hundred feet southwesterly from and parallel to the westerly and southwesterly
line of Tavern lane and said southwesterly line extended to the southeasterly
line of Eliot road, thence easterly and then southeasterly and southerly along
the southeasterly, southerly and southwesterly line of Eliot road to the south-
easterly line of Pelham road, thence northeasterly along said southeasterly line
of Pelham road to a point distant two hundred feet southwesterly from the south-
westerly line of Massachusetts avenue, thence southeasterly along a line distant
two hundred feet southwesterly from and parallel to the southwesterly line of
Massachusetts avenue to the northwesterly line of Marrett road, thence north-
easterly along said northwesterly line of Marrett road to the southwesterly
line of Massachusetts avenue, thence northwesterly in a straight line across
Massachusetts avenue to the intersection of the northeasterly line of Massachu-
setts avenue with the northwesterly lot line of the property now numbered eleven
hundred and fifty-five Massachusetts avenue, thence northeasterly along said
northwesterly lot line to a point two hundred feet distant northeasterly from
said northeasterly line of Massachusetts avenue, thence northwesterly and then
northerly and northwesterly along a line distant two hundred feet northeasterly
from and parallel to the northeasterly line of Massachusetts avenue to the south-
easterly lot line of the Muzzey Junior High School property, thence northeasterly
along said southeasterly lot line to the southwesterly lot line of the Munroe
Cemetery property, thence northwesterly along said southwesterly lot line to the
intersection of said southwesterly lot line with the northwesterly lot line of
the Munroe Cemetery property, thence northeasterly along said northwesterly lot
line to the southerly line of the railroad right of way, thence westerly along
said southerly line of the railroad right of way to the point of beginning.
East Village District: Beginning at the intersection of the northeasterly
line of Massachusetts avenue with the northwesterly lot line of the property
now numbered eleven hundred and fifty-five Massachusetts avenue, thence north-
easterly along said northwesterly lot line to a point two hundred feet distant
northeasterly from said northeasterly line of Massachusetts avenue, thence south-
easterly and then easterly along a line distant two hundred feet northeasterly
and northerly from and parallel to the northeasterly and northerly line of Massa-
chusetts avenue to a point distant two hundred feet northwesterly from the north-
westerly line of Maple street, thence northerly along a line distant two hundred
feet northwesterly from and parallel to said northwesterly line of Maple street
to the southerly line of the railroad right of way, thence southeasterly along
said southerly line of the railroad right of way to a point distant two hundred
feet southeasterly from the southeasterly line of Maple street, thence southerly
along a line distant two hundred feet southeasterly from and parallel to said
southeasterly line of Maple street to a point distant two hundred feet northerly
from the northerly line of Massachusetts avenue, thence southeasterly and then
easterly and northeasterly along a line distant two hundred feet northerly,
northeasterly and northerly from the northerly, northeasterly and northerly line
of Massachusetts avenue to the westerly lot line of the property now numbered
four hundred and twenty-one Massachusetts avenue, thence southerly along said
westerly lot line and said westerly lot line extended to a point distant two
hundred feet southerly from the southerly line of Massachusetts avenue, thence
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westerly and then southwesterly, northwesterly and westerly along a line distant
two hundred feet southerly, southeasterly, southwesterly and southerly from and
parallel to the southerly, southeasterly, southwesterly and southerly line of
Massachusetts avenue to rhe northwesterly line of Marrett road, thence north-
easterly along said northwesterly line of Marrett road to the southwesterly line
of Massachusetts avenue, thence northwesterly in a straight line across Massachu-
setts avenue to the point of beginning
Wherever only part of any building or structure is within an historic dis-
trict according to the boundary lines as heretofore defined in this section,
there shall be included within the historic district the entire land area occu-
pied, or to be occupied, by all of said building or structure so that the whole
building or structure shall be considered to be within the historic district for
the purposes of this act
SECTION 2 Section 5(d) of said chapter 447 is hereby amended by striking out
the second sentence thereof and inserting in its place the following -- In the
case of any such sign or billboard erected or displayed prior to the effective
date of this act or of any amendment of section two of this act which enlarges
an existing or establishes an additional historic district there shall be al-
lowed a period of five years, subsequent to the date of the first inclusion of
such sign or billboard within an historic district, in which to obtain such a
certificate
SECTION 3. Section 6(a) of said chapter 447 is hereby amended by striking out
the period at the end thereof and adding at the end the following -- or of any
amendment of section two of this act which enlarges an existing or establishes
an additional historic district
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