1990-Annual Town Report - Laserfiche WebLink

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it. We have now asked the Building Inspector to keep us nual Reports for the years we are missing, and would be informed of any planned building demolitions in the willing to donate them to the Archives, we will be future, so that research on a particular site can be speed- grateful. If a donation is not possible, then a"temporary ed up to preserve information on the few old buildings loan" would allow us to have them reproduced and still standing. returned to the donor.The copies we need are 1870- 1897 inclusive; from 1908- 1913 inclusive, and the years 1937, We would like to take this opportunity to explain to 1939, 1942 and 1946. If we could acquire these, the Ar- citizens some of the less-well-known duties of a local chives would then have a complete series of Annual Historical Commission. One of the responsibilities of a Reports for more than one hundred and twenty years. local Commission as specified by state law, is to work closely with the State Historical Commission, especially We express our appreciation for the privilege of being when human burials are accidentally uncovered. If a able to work together in the activities that seek to pro- private citizen makes such a discovery, he is required by mote the welfare and history of the Town of Mashpee. law to notify the state or local police and the regional Medical Examiner. If the ME discovers the bones are Respectfully submitted, more than one hundred years old, he notifies the State Historical Commission, the Archaelogist, and the Com- MASHPEE HISTORICAL COMMISSION missioner of Indian Affairs if the burial is that of a Native Ann Tanneyhill, Chairperson American. And the latter is most likely to occur in this geographical area of the Commonwealth. The local Rosemary Burns Historical Commission is also notified.Archaelogists visit Ernestine Gray the site and conduct the necessary professional work and Joanne Ferragamo documentation. Franks Hicks Hazel 0*akley During 1990 two significant discoveries were made in Marie Scalley Mashpee. The first was early in the spring when excava- tion was being done in connection with digging a building foundation. The official procedures were carefully Report of the followed, and the state archaelogist discovered an early burial with skeletal remains and artifacts determined to Street Light Committee have been placed before the middle of the last century, possibly in the early 1800's. The findings of the state ar- chaelogists have not yet been completed. To the Honorable Board of Selectmen and the Citizens of the Town of Mashpee A second site was found in Mashpee during the month of August when electric light lines were being laid along The Street Light Committee meets in the DPW a roadway.Unfortunately,the confidentiality of the site Building Conference Room to discuss requests for safe- was not kept.Considerable publicity from both print and ty lighting on our roads. In 1990 seven new street light visual media resulted. This was unfortunate, for it drew fixtures were installed at intersections or dangerous curves many sightseers and "amateur archaelogists". Such ar- on highly traveled roads. chaelogical findings reveal a great deal about the way of life of those who peopled this territory in days gone by During 1990 the Commonwealth Electric Company -for this is the way of life that historians,those commit- changed all the mercury vapor fixtures to high pressure ted to historical research, and Historical Commissions sodium lamps. This change resulted in a savings of ap- seek to learn about to preserve. proximately$8,500 per year for the Town of Mashpee. For many years the Annual Town Report dedicated an Respectfully submitted, "In Memoriam"page of recognition and appreciation to elected, appointed and volunteer town officials who had Robert A. Jutstrom given service to the Town of Mashpee who died during Chairman the year. This listing was discontinued after the 1981 An- nual Report. Commission members feel that this is an important part of town history, and asked the Board of Selectmen to have this recognition page re-instated in the Report of the future. We are cooperating with the Town Clerk in this Department of Public Works matter. It is anticipated that this custom will be carried forward in future Annual Reports. We are still on the look-out for old Town of Mashpee To the Honorable Selectmen Annual Reports. To date we have nine volumes which and the Citizens of the Town of Mashpee: we have had bound in hard cover. But we are still lack- ing many issues. One Mashpee resident graciously loan- We entered the new year with resolve to counter the ed her personal copies from 1889 through 1908, and they problem of illegal dumping in many areas of town.This are in the process of being reproduced and bound. The deplorable habit by some has caused esthetic devastation originals will be returned. If anyone in Mashpee has An- to lovely wooded areas, ponds, streams and roadsides. 114