HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996-09-10 Historical Commission MinutesMinutes
Reading Historical Commission
September 10, 1996
The meeting was convened at 7:35 p.m.
Regular Members present: Virginia Adams, John McCauley, Ed Palmer, David O'Sullivan,
Roberta Sullivan
Associate members present: Colonel Wilbur Hoxie, Gladys Montgomery Jones, Louise
Sandburg, Alan Ulrich.
Guests present: Claire Melkonian
I
Route 129 Imyrovement: The Massachusetts Historical Commission wrote to Town Engineer Joe
Delaney to oppose parking in front of Old South Church, that the Church wants. Peter
Hechenbleikner, Town Manager, will respond to Mass Historical, conveying the position of Old
South and the Historical Commission, and it is likely the will of the Town will be accepted.
Bandstand Siting: Gladys read a draft letter from the Commission to the Board of Selectmen.
Letter was approved as amended, so moved by Ed, seconded by Roberta, by a vote of 4-0-1.
- At Wood End: Alan clarified that the Celebrations Committee is handling the book sales.
89 Main Street: The property falls under the Demolition Delay By-law. The Building Inspector
failed to forward the Demolition Permit to the Historical Commission. The Commission
determined that it must provide the Building Inspector's office with a transmittal form; Gladys
agreed to develop one. The structure at stake is the barn constructed sometime in the late 19th or
early 20th century, which is in the way of a road into a planned town house development.
Commission members had visited the site in August. Members discussed that the road cannot be
relocated due to wetlands on the property, and it is unlikely that the barn could be a candidate for
adaptive reuse. The barn was determined to be "not preferably preserved', so moved by Virginia,
seconded by Roberta, by a vote of 5-0-0. The Commission discussed how to encourage the
developer to try to move the barn to another location in Reading, including positive publicity
should the barn be moved successfully.
Reading Municipal Light: The utility followed the Commission's advice in the adaptive reuse
plans for its building.
The Bishop-Bwe6y Collection: Eleanor Bishop's papers,
NU i&rt lay, have been passed on to the Historical Commission by Mrs. Bishop's family and
attorney, acting on her wishes, and Commission members have moved most of the papers to the
Historical Commission Archives in Town Hall. John agreed to draft a letter of conveyance for
Bill Diamond, her attorney, to sign. Times were scheduled to move and catalogue files.
Streetscane: The Texaco Statio the Fire House plans to install a canopy on its pumps.
Osco Drug is moving into the old Cerratani's location at the northeast corner of Main and Ash
Streets.
Reading Public Libra: In response to the Commission's concerns, the Library will no longer
allow food and drink in the Historical Reference Room which had been used as a silent study
room. To commemorate the centennial of the Library building, Virginia Adams will deliver a
lecture on Reading circa 1896, and Peggy White will give one about Reading architect Horace
Wadlin, who designed the building.
The Commission scheduled its neat two meetings, for October 1 and November 5, 1996.
Barclay materials. Vd. hfth
The meeting adjourned at 9:05, to the Archive Room where members inspected the Bishop-