Historical Commission Contact Henry Cooke, IV, Chair 963-9645 Address: Town Hall 41 South Main Street Randolph, MA 02368 Members NAME PHONE (781) TERM D. Joseph Griffin 963-2332 Annual Alan Banks 963-0613 Annual Stephanie Naoum   Annual Susan Ryan 963-9945 Annual Henry Cooke IV, Chair 963-9645 Annual Mary West 961-4544 Annual Lesly Freed 986-2020 Annual Annual Report of the Historical Commission   The Historical Commission strives to preserve and maintain Randolph’s significant historical resources, advise local and state officials on matters of local historic preservation, and to educate and inform the community about the significance of their history and its tangible remnants, and the importance of its preservation. The Commission has been active in the past year in carrying out its dual mission of preservation and education: Demolition Review: Perhaps one of the most significant responsibilities of the Historical Commission is in the administration of the Town’s Demolition Bylaw. Under the bylaw, all buildings one hundred years old or more that are proposed for demolition must be reviewed by the Commission to determine their historical or architectural significance. Commission members reviewed 4 applications this year, a reduction from previous years, perhaps due to the decline in the housing market. Comprehensive Community-wide Survey of Historic Buildings: One of the requirements of the Demolition Bylaw is that a list of Randolph buildings over 100 years old shall be maintained by the Historical Commission and Building Department. The Commission completed the first phase of this effort in September, when consultant Kathleen Kelly Broomer delivered reports on over 200 properties along areas identified as likely to see development pressure, as well as area surveys on Union and Warren Streets.  At the conclusion of the project, Ms Broomer presented the results of her study to the town at a joint meeting of the Randolph Historical Commission and the Randolph Historical Society.  Property owners of the surveyed properties were invited to the meeting and received copies of the survey pertaining to their property.  This project was made possible by a $16,000 appropriation through the Community Preservation Fund by the 2006 Annual Town Meeting. The second phase of this project was begun in September of this year as Ms. Broomer was hired to continue her efforts to document the town’s historic resources, and bring the so-called “century list” of properties to completion. This phase of the project is being funded by a Massachusetts Historical Commission Survey and Planning Grant, with the town’s match to the grant being supplied by an appropriation from the town’s Community Preservation Fund at the 2007 Town Meeting.  In addition to completing the “century list” this phase of research will document the historical buildings in areas of town bypassed in the first survey.  While this project may not document every historical building in Randolph, it will have covered a significant proportion of them, and will enhance the town’s ability to nominate properties for the National Register of Historic Places. The Commission wishes to thank the DPW and the Board of Assessors for making their records available for research by Kathleen Broomer as part of the Comprehensive Communitywide Survey Once completed, a master list of over 400 buildings over 100 years old will be provided to the Historical Commission, and copies will be made available to the Building Department, the Planning Board, the Zoning Board of Appeals, Board of Assessors, and any other board or agency of the town that requests a copy of this list.  In addition to the list, will be individual building and area survey forms that will be retained by the Historical Commission and the Massachusetts Historical Commission. The Commission plans to eventually make this information available to residents and researchers through the town’s website, and is working with MHC and the contractor on ways to help make this possible. Looking ahead, the Commission plans to seek future grant funding to permit the hiring of a preservation consultant to assist the Commission in the development of a comprehensive Preservation Plan for the town, as called for in the town’s Master Plan. This planning document will help guide future development, while taking care that the town’s most significant historical resources are maintained and preserved for the benefit of future generations. Assisting Researchers: The Commission has a wealth of town records under its care and custody, often in conjunction with other town boards and commissions. Because many of these are public records, the Commission’s repository of town documents, maps, images, and other materials are an important resource to those seeking to find out more about the history of the town and its people in general, and of specific individuals and properties in particular. Because of the need for the Commission to vacate their offices at Stetson Hall during the summer in advance of the rehabilitation project, most of the Commission’s resources have been packed up and moved to the basement of the Turner Free Library. Limitations of space and the conditions of storage mean that most research will only be able to be carried out by requests made to the Commission until we can move back to our office in the fall of 2008. Advising Public Officials on Historic Preservation Questions: The Historical Commission serves as a link between state preservation officials and town officials. In this capacity, Commission members are regularly called upon to advise various boards and commissions on matters pertaining to historic preservation. This year, the Commission was kept informed by the State Archeologist’s office about the survey archeological investigation in the areas adjacent to the Paul Hart land swap project.  In this case findings of archeological significance mean that the project will have to take steps to mitigate any adverse impact on existing or potential archeologically sensitive areas as pert of the project requirements. Looking Ahead to 2008: The Commission proposes to implement the following programs in the coming year: Completion of Master List of Historic Properties: Phase II of the Comprehensive Communitywide Survey of Historic Properties is scheduled for completion by the end of July 2008. Its deliverable products will include the completed “century list” of buildings determined to have been built prior to 1910, and thus subject to review and possible public hearings relative to any proposed demolition  of them.  In addition, there will be another fifty to sixty building and area forms that will help broaden our understanding of the growth and development of the town and its neighborhoods, and contribute to future preservation planning efforts. Collections Management: Because the town’s archival and other records are presently stored in several locations for the duration of the Stetson Hall Rehabilitation,  plans for cataloguing the town’s historical resources have been put on hold until we are back in our space, with sufficient workspace to permit the work to be done. Preservation Education: One of the goals for the Commission in 2007 was to better inform public officials and the citizens of Randolph of the purpose and value of Community Preservation. Given the fact that the Commission is made up of volunteers, this proves to be a challenging task.  While the Commission had a couple of successful educational opportunities, we hope that some of our plans for 2007 can be implemented in 2008, including the following:   Meeting with the Board of Selectmen to inform them of Preservation issues facing the town, and the Commission’s activities to address them. Community Meeting to mark the completion of Phase II of the Comprehensive Community-wide Survey project outlined above. (tentative Fall 2008) Workshop for Realtors and Developers to inform them about the Town’s historic building resources, their importance to the community, and how these buildings constitute a “green” resource, and even older buildings approved for demolition can yield valuable resources for restoration and new construction, saving money and landfill space. Working through “Beneath the Elms” and other programs to educate the public about Randolph’s historic resources, and the importance of preservation. In February, the Commission was saddened by the death of long time member Joan Ryder.  In addition to her other civic activities, Joan had served on the Commission for nearly ten years, and was active in the creation of the town’s Demolition Bylaw in 1998, and the Elms Historic District Study Committee. Her knowledge of town affairs, real estate, and her pragmatism as a historic preservationist were valuable to the commission, and she will be missed. As the year drew to a close, the Commission welcomed its newest member Staphanie Naoum. Ms. Naoum brings her extensive skills as a librarian and archivist at the National Fire Protection Association in Quincy, as well as an interest and time commitment to local historic preservation that will be a great asset to the town. Respectfully Submitted, Henry M. Cooke IV, Chairman Mary West, Secretary Alan Banks D. Joseph Griffin Stephanie Naoum   http://www.townofrandolph.com/Public_Documents/RandolphMA_BComm/historical8/