HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-01-05 Historical Commission Minutes5 January 1999
Reading Historical Commission
Called to order: 7:30
Attending: Virginia Adams Louise Sandberg
Wilbar Home Clay Jones
Mark Cardono
Randy Collins, Gates, Leighton & Assoc.
Frank Romeo, Beta Engineering
Kathy Greenfield, Downtown steering committee
Jonathan Barnes, CPDC
Neal Sullivan, CPDC
Rick Schubert, CPDC
Cheryl Sidelinker
Roberta Sullivan
David O'Sullivan
1. Cheryl gave an update on the Foster-Emerson House. She asked
us if they can remove a window on the east side of the' lean-to.
2. Presentation by Gates Leighton Assoc. and Beta engineering showing a map
with the prospectus for the changes pending for the revitalization of downtown. The
project must follow state guidelines if state funds are used. These guidelines require
larger lane size on Main Street in the common area. 6.5 feet can be acquired on the
east side of Main Street. Also there may be enlarged radii of the corner of Salem and
Main streets. Virginia is strongly opposed to taking more land from the common.
Mass. historical will be reviewing the plans and they would give us their experience
and expertise. The commission tabled the issue to make a decision later. Straw poll:
Virginia-against, Roberta-for, David- wait to hear from Mass. historical, Clay-against,
qualified, Mark-against, Col.-against, and Louise-agree with David. The commission
discussed the legal definition of the common is that it is common land for the
community and includes the road also. The perception is the common is the green
space.
3. Treasurer's report: attached. We have money left from the preservation grant to
be used to document the Foster-Emerson house. It wasdecided that the cost of the
photography of the house be charged to funds designated for the house.
4. 42 Chute St. got its variance for its carriage house. The commission was
granted architectural review in the ZBA special permit.
5. March roundtable: March 12th senior center. Topic:
6. 379 Haverhill St.: article for the newspaper to publicize the worth of the house
and to seek prospective buyers and to prevent demolition.
7. 707 Pearl St. barn at the Emerson house is likely to be dismantled.
8. Pierce Organ factory. Someone wants to demolish and rebuild.
9. Gladys resigned from the preservation trust. Mark was encouraged to take over
the task.
10. Bill McLaughlin rephotographed the Gilson album on loan from jean Baxter,
Lexington.
11. Next meeting: Jan. 26
12. Adjourned: 10:59 approved as amended '
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TREASURERS T
COM=GEN FUND 0 1 -661-5400
PAGE 1;
5/1999
DATE NUS
_ NSA I
N
PAY ENT C.
BALANCE
, DEPOSIT
71101199f PAID
Redstone Camera
25.79
0.00
71111199f
fiscal year deposit
1,200.00 1,200.00
71111199f PAID
Virginia Adams
10.50
1,189.50
memo: expense
cat: member retire
91111199E PAID
Redstone Camera
32.43
1,157.07 "
101111190 PAID
Redstone Camera
71.59
1,085.48
10/111190 PAID
Virginia Adams
20.69
- 1,064.79
memo: expense
cat: member "retire
101111190 PAID
Chronicle
52.50
1,012.29
10/11/190 paid
Virginia Adams
38.00
974.29
memo: expense
cat: post cards
1111195 paid
Roberta M. Sullivan
10.00
964.29
memo: Hist Paint color bk
10/11/190 paid
Chronicle
135.00
829.29
cat: advertisement
101151190 paid
Corporate Express
8.67
820.62
11/13/190 paid
Louise Sandberg
62.51
758.11
memo: refreshments
121141190 paid
Virginia Adams
20.00
738.11
memo: expense
cat: post cards
12114/190 paid
Redstone Camera
9.99
728.12
115/1999 paid
Redstone Camera
14.58
713.54
115/1999 paid
University Products
256.46
457.08
11511999 paid
University Products
38.57
418.51
OF THE ANCIENT TOWN OF REDDING.
In 189o, instructed by the town, the trustees then in
charge christened the cemetery Gt Laurel Hill."
NORTH PARISH COMMON AND PARISH LANDS.
THE 11 two-mile content" or North Precinct, was given
to Reading by an act of the General Court in 1651. In
1658-9, the meadows and uplands were divided by a
vote of the town, the meadows as follows: -
Ordered, that all the meadows that layeth in our four and two
miles grant, that are but an acre or less than an acre shall be meas-
ured to the upland as upland, in whose lot soever they fall; and if
ther above an acre, they are to be measured for meadow to
w h~ y fall unto by lot.
It was further ordered :
That the meadows in the two-mile grant shall be divided into
three rows, from West to East ; and that we are to begin to lay out
the lotts of meddow at the East end of that row, as layeth next to
Ipswich Ricer, and so to come Rest; and then the second row, and
so to go East ; and then the 'third row to run Rest ; and then to
take all meadow in the four Milus" at one roty. and so to run
-
225
Cptn. John Brown as layers out, the great lot in Readding, one the
North Side of the river, caled Ipswich River, which was done by all
above named, we, the Subscribers, bein the only Survivers of the
s'd layers out. Being desired by the Select men of s'd Readding to
give our information and knoledg of the maner of our laying out
of s'd tract of land, which is as foloweth : -
We began to lay out by s'd towns order at a place that was called
andover highway. Deacn. William Cowdery's Lot was the first
and soe to lay out Eastward, while the Land Eastward was layd out.
and then we began againe at the s'd place and left sixteen pole
wide of land from the river to Andover line, for the town between
s'd Deacn. Cowdery's lot and William Leakin's lot, which was the
first lot in order in our laying westward. And then we layed west-
ward while we had finished our work in laying out s'd trakt of land,
and the lots By order were layd in one range : the lines were nere north'
and south, and the lots Being long. The way that we layd the s'd
lots out was thus : we knowing By former mesure the length of said
lots, we Began as above s'd and measured both ends and the midle
of Every man's lot; and made Bounds so at Boath Ends and the
midle, which six Bounds to each lot was all the Bonds that we made,
and the s'd six Bounds are to be and Remaine for the just bounds of
the s'd lots whether the midle Bounds Stand. in a line with the end
Bounds or not; and this is a treue Acount and return thereof as
Atests.
JOHN SMITH
JOHN BROWN Layers out.
Readding, october the 21st, 1704-
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PLAN 2.
✓i: s♦,i a7,17"
Old and New Cemetery, Reading.
Dotted line"d" represents present line of
PLAN 1.
Dotted lines represent streets in Reading, laid out since 1742.
"d" is location of old meeting house.
TREASURERS OT
HIST.,C0M-SPEC'L E 2 -663®D®D
PAGE 1
1/5/1 999
DATE U
TRANSACTION PAYMENT C
DEPOSIT'
BALANCE
1[911998
Desposit
- 57.50
75+.11
memo: donation
2I121199f
The Brearley Collection 510.00
244.11
memo: MFC Er Bishop Pix
cat: $90.00left
31231199f peed...
Historical trust grant
1,500.00
1,744.11
memo: for measured drawings for Fost...
51151199f
Anne A. Grady --consultant 50.00
1,694.11
memo: stipend
51291199E
Richard Irons 140.00
1,554.11
memo: chimney estimate Foster Eme...
61121199f
Lawrence A. Sorli, Architect 180.00
1,374.11
memo: consultant =FIE house -
61291199f
Historical trust grant
600.00
1,974.11
memo: for FIE house evaluations
cat: $380` left
71221199f paid
Redstone Camera 11.48
1,962.63
memo: bat pd. for 7110 bill
cat: cover shortage