HomeMy WebLinkAbout1973-12-05 ad Hoc - Bicentennial Commission Minutes t L�.
Bicentennial Commission Meeting Dec. 5, 1973.
The Commission met at the Reading Public Library on Dec.5,at 8 p.m.
All but one member was present.
Miks.Miller reported that the Antiquarian Society has one of the mini-
ature tea chests distributed in 1873. The Boston Globe has reported a
search has turned up about a dozen. Reading 's has been reported to the
Boston committee and tickets to Tea Party events ,Dec. 16) wi11 be sent.
The Amherst meeting for bicentennial planning was postponed and a new
date is set for January in conjunction with the winter meeting of the
Bay State Historical League.
A new, 450,000, federal allottment to Massachusetts for matching grants
for local projects is announced. maximum grant 7,000 on a 50/50 basis.
The deadline is January 28, with decisions by March 1. Send requests to
Patricia Harrington, 10 Tremont St . Boston. The forms require cost ,
lasting value of project , approval and affadavit of endorsement by local
authority, and local funds in hand for matching. Number of requests unllmitee
Chairman Miller has secured authority, in writingy, for the Commission
to accept grants and individual gifts to be placed 'in a separate account
by the Town Treasurer. Such funds may be disbursed by the Commission with-
out further appropriation, and should be spent before drawing upon any
town appropriation.
The grant request for the Parker Tavern basic repairs should outline
what has been done over many years, and emphasize that this is a completion
project. It was voted unanimously that the Commission file such application
for a matching grant to help finance the completion of the restoration of
the Parker Tavern. Motion by Dr. McCauley, seconded by Mrs. Calabar.
Dr. McCauley and ;=rs. Calabar reported their findings on historical
markers. He contacted 10 companies using plastic, wood or metals. Metal
plaques with 25 words cost about 850, wood 035. If wood were used perhaps
it could be a vocational school project , but Mrs. Calabar noted that wood
had a definite maintenangeroblem. Bronze Is too expensive. Plastic is
deemed impermanent. Bruce„surgested zinc used in newspaper mate, electro-
plated in a body shop, bronzed, baked or ?. Could it be white with black
letters? Or the reverse?
Decisions:-type of material: wood, plastic or bronze ruled out .
Number needed : maximum of 30 (c.23 houses, cemetery, 2 mills,
other sites?
Size : Consensuari2/14 high by 16/18 inches wide.
Type size- ideally legible from middle of the street,
certainly readable from the sidewalk.
Format : simple, for example Home of Dr. John Brooks
— 1773-1775
Built 1115 ,by John Damon
A letter and owner permission form, cleared with the town counsel, will
be prepared. Mrs. Ebeling will contact owners since she has been in touch
with many of them. The matter of insurance and liability for markers must
be ascertained. They should remain in town ownership to be returned if ever
removed for any reason.
Mr. Proctor and I,rs. Barclay will secure the specific figures for the
Parker Tavern project , required for the application for the grant as voted.
Publicity to needed for all activities. Dr. Blanchard will provide news
copy to Chronicle.
To make grant requests the Commission must have funds in hand to match
�,and when the Commission goes into town meeting in March substantial com-
mittments by the community must have been made to the Bicentennial.
Mrs. Miller will prepare a letter of appeal to businesses, clubs and
organizations, and send it out using a list recently compiled by the
Antiquarian Society, provided by Mrs. Barclay.
The Commission adjourned, to meet next on Thursday, J9n. 10.
ex..,,,,, t%.� Eleanor C. Bishop, secretary