Date: Fri 14-Jul-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: KAAREN

Quick Words:

historical-society-survey-

Full Text:

SOCIETY SEEKS FUNDS FOR HISTORICAL SURVEY

B Y K AAREN V ALENTA

The Newtown Historical Society Wednesday night asked the Board of Selectmen

for $5,000 in matching funds to do a survey of an estimated 245 houses that

were built in Newtown before 1825.

The historical society learned recently that it has been awarded $5,000 by the

US Department of the Interior through the Connecticut Historical Commission

for the survey which will involve title searches and architectural studies of

the historic houses. One condition of the grant, however, is that the

historical society get local funding to match the amount of the federal grant.

"It would be a great and wonderful thing if we were able to do this project,"

Mae Schmidle said. "We've never asked the town for any money before. But we

need to be able to go out for bid soon for a consultant to do the study which

must be completed by May 1996."

Dan Cruson, the town historian, told the selectmen that except for the homes

on Main Street, most houses in Newtown have not been well researched.

"When we get out beyond Main Street, the information isn't there. We don't

have the data base," he said. "I use the information from the assessor's

office but it is incomplete and often wrong. Often the age of the house is

what its owners hope it to be, rather than the actual age."

First Selectman Bob Cascella said the board has several options including

recommending to the Legislative Council that the $5,000 be taken from

contingency funds or from the town's capital non-reoccuring reserve account.

"I agree philosophically with the goals of the historic society but I do have

some pains recommending in the first week of the new fiscal year that money be

taken from contingency for anything other than fire, flood, or disaster," he

said.

Selectman Gary Fetzer said he needed time to review the documents submitted by

the historical society during the meeting. He added, however, that the

selectmen could recommend that the town give a portion of the $5,000 and that

the owners of the historic houses, local realtors and businesses which would

benefit from the survey also contribute.

Besides Mae Schmidle and Dan Cruson, the meeting was attended by Chris Atwood,

who has researched many houses for the historical society, and by Mary

Mitchell and Al Goodrich, who are currently producing a book with photographs

and driving tours of the pre-1825 homes in Newtown.

Mrs Schmidle said it would cost about $50 per house "for easy houses" to do

the research required by the survey, adding that it is a "bargain" to the

community. "To do the research required to put a house or building on the

National Requister would cost $1,500 to $1,800 apiece," she said.

The selectmen expressed concern that once the survey is completed, the

historical society would return to request funds to put buildings on the

National Register. But Mrs Schmidle said there are no plans to do that.

The State Historical Commission already has told the Newtown Board of

Burgesses that the commission will pay the cost of putting the Main Street

area, including the town-owned buildings, on the National Register.

In a letter to Mr Cascella in February, Sallie Meffert, president of the

Newtown Historical Society, said the survey would benefit the town by

promoting tourism, "resulting in stimulus to the local economy"; by increasing

and stimulating historical education in the local schools; by protecting,

promoting and preserving the town's heritage, and by improving the historic

stature of Newtown among other Connecticut towns which have undertaken similar

projects.

In her letter, Mrs Meffert requested that the project be considered during

deliberations over the town's 1995-96 budget. At that time the grant had not

yet been awarded, however, so it was cut from the proposed budget.

Saying they needed more time to review the matter, the selectmen tabled the

historical society's request to their next meeting on Monday, July 24.