2005-Annual Town Report - Laserfiche WebLink

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I During the year, the Mashpee One Room video tape collection, maps, photographs, and post- Schoolhouse Preservation Council was created as a card collection. It is approximately 75% done. MHC 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation. The Council will updated its photo gallery in 2005 and expanded its help frame the future of the Schoolhouse and has presence on the Town website, including improved already established an endowment fund for furnish- email access. ings and maintenance. The Council President, Sunny Merritt is a member of the MHC, linking the Other accomplishments in 2005 include the Commission to the Council to help preserve this valu- acquisition of a Power Point projector and screen for able historic property. Furnishing the Schoolhouse has Power Point presentations on Mashpee history. Town proceeded slowly but is now about 50% complete. Historian Rosemary Burns also wrote several articles r u Research and acquisition of the remaining furnishings published in the Mashpee Commons' Courier and she will continue in 2006. and other Commission members have assisted a grow- ing number of other researchers, residents and The MHC cooperated with requests for informa- reporters. A list of potential historic Mashpee street tion from the Massachusetts Historical Commission. names is circulating for comment by the Mashpee Lee Gurney attended a conference on the State's Tribal Council and others. Historic Preservation Plan and provided comments on the Plan and on a proposed Neighborhood The MHC has a dedicated and talented cadre of Conservation District bylaw. Two members of the volunteers led by Frank Kelly. Frank coordinates the ., . MHC will serve on the recently revived Local Historic work of sisters Paula Webster and Pat Leonard who District Study Committee that will assess potential diligently keep up with the files of newspaper articles. local districts in Mashpee's historic town center. New The creation and management of the MHC database is Commissioner Paula Peters is serving as the MHC's under the competent supervision of volunteer Judy representative to the Community Preservation Act Godin. Miriam Estrella, a former Commissioner, has Committee. Gail and Joe Slattery are recording been volunteering as her health permits along with :1 changes in Town through photographs and Gail has Frank Kelly on a"People of Color"project. h j taken on the project of MHC exhibits at the Post 1 Office. Clerk Lois Wakefield-Perry, who joined the f,.. MHC in 2004 as its only paid employee, continues to ; The MHC added approximately 400 more items be a huge asset. The experience and competence she to the Archives collection during 2005, including brought to the position along with her cheerful can-do material from the Town Hall attic and censuses from attitude is an enormous help. 1793 and 1800. Other activities include the identifica- tion of Mashpee residents in 13 volumes from the We are grateful to the Board of Selectmen and Town Manager Joyce Mason for their interest and sup- Nickerson & Bourne Funeral Home, covering 1899- 1949. In addition, Historian Rosemary Burns created Port• i an easy-to-read in-depth index to Mortgage Book 1 (1834-1862) and Book 2(1862-1914) - 345 pages giv- We also thank the people of Mashpee who encourage us in our work, donate materials to the ing descriptions of properties including land, build- ings, farm animals, wagons, and the amount of money Archives, volunteer, and help us preserve Mashpee's and duration of each mortgage. She has begun a sim- ilar process for the 450 pages of Records of Deeds and comments. Allotments and Proprietaries Held in Severally by the Proprietors of Marshpee with other documents relat- Respectfully submitted, ing to Lands held in Common, Boundaries, etc. This Lee Gurney, Chairperson ` ;x index will show sellers and buyers, property Rosemary Burns exchanges, dates, acreage, and buildings included in Sunny Merritt the Records from the early 1800s through 1870. Paula Peters Gail Slattery Slattery Over the last few years, the MHC has focused Joseph { efforts on computerizing many of its records to Lois Wakefield-Perry, Clerk . improve access to documents, books, and collections. Work is also underway to computerize the audio and 179