2019-Annual Town Report - Laserfiche WebLink

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On June 15, 2019, the Mashpee Historical Commission bestowed the first annual Historical Preservation Awards. Nearly eighty friends, relatives, and Commissioners attended the awards ceremony and witnessed Earl H. Mills, Chief Flying Eagle, receive the Mashpee Historical Commission Preservation Award and Frank Lord received the Mashpee Historical Commission Special Service Award. Earl H. Mills, Sr., Chair of the Mashpee Historic District Committee, received the Preservation Award for his continuous and generous support and steadfast protection of the Parsonage building, located at 431 Main Street. The Parsonage was constructed circa 1850, when Mashpee was known as the District of Marshpee and is one of the few remaining historic buildings in town. Because of his actions the building is still standing awaiting restoration with funding support from the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Council, the Mashpee Community Preservation Commission and Town Meeting action. The second award was presented to Frank Lord in recognition of his dedication, research, and commitment to Mashpee's history, the Mashpee Historical Commission and especially for his years in service as School Master in Mashpee's One -Room Schoolhouse. He introduced residents, visitors and many of Mashpee's third grade students to Mashpee History. Both received individualized mirrors recognizing their accomplishments. Also, Earl Mills' name will be recorded on a plaque recognizing award honorees to be placed in the Town Hall and Frank Lord will have a plaque recognizing his service to be placed in the One -Room Schoolhouse. The video of the presentation may be found on Mashpee TV web -site. In 1969, the Mashpee Selectmen established the Mashpee Historical Commission. In 2019, the Historical Commission celebrated its 50th Anniversary on Indigenous Peoples' Day, October 14, 2019. The event included an open house in the Archives Building, tours were given of the One -Room Schoolhouse, and a year -by -year timeline review of Commission accomplishments was given by Commissioner Richard DeSorgher. Also, attendees viewed a new display of historical Mashpee photographs and artifacts as well as enjoying an anniversary cake provided by Commissioner Joan Tavares Avant and desserts provided by Native Times Coffee. The celebration ended with Commissioner Brian Weeden offering a Wampanoag prayer for this occasion and then instructed a group of attendees, with the help of youth Tribal members, to learn drumming singing, and dancing at the Town Gazebo. In the Fall of 2019, Commissioner Ava Costello represented the Mashpee Historical Commission on a committee reviewing the Mashpee Public Library. At the October 2019 Town Meeting a petition to redesign the Mashpee Town Seal to better reflect the culture and history of Mashpee was approved. Commissioner Joan Tavares Avant will represent the Historical Commission on the redesign committee. This will replace the current town seal assigned to Mashpee by the State of Massachusetts and is a duplicate of the Massachusetts State Seal. Due to the retirement of Frank Lord as President of the One -Room Schoolhouse Committee, Historical Commissioner Brian Hyde was selected to fill the president's position. Historical Commissioner Richard DeSorgher was appointed as the official School Master and Historical Commissioner Nancy Soderberg as the School Marm. During 2019, commissioners took part in two seminars. Commissioner Ava Costello attended a forum given by the Digital Commonwealth to learn about access to help in digitizing historic records and is subsidized by the state of Massachusetts. In December commissioners Nancy Soderberg, Ava Costello and Senior Clerk, Ann Graham, attended an informational presentation and discussions regarding events around the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrims landing. As the Town prepared for its 150th anniversary of incorporation on May 28, 1870, a town committee headed by Historical Commissioner Brian Hyde and co-chaired by Commissioner Ava Costello has been formed to schedule commemorative events. The Historical Commission looks forward to assisting in the anniversary events. Respectfully submitted by, Ava Costello, Chair Joan Tavares Avant Rosemary Love Burns Richard DeSorgher Brian Hyde Nancy Soderberg Brian Weeden 137