Preserving North Andover's Historic Rural Character

Strategies for Protecting Historic Buildings and Landscapes - A Talk with Dylan Peacock of Historic New England.

THIS WAS AN ONLINE ZOOM EVENT. WATCH THE PRESENTATION HERE.

There are lots of questions on the protected status of historical buildings and landscapes. These questions are usually “Is the building “protected”?” or “Is it listed?” 

What do these designations mean? and What tools are available to protect the historic buildings and landscapes of North Andover? We find that these honorific designations offer very little protection of historic buildings and landscapes over time.

For example;

• Deed Restrictions: A “deed restriction” is generally only good for 30 years. They are often not monitored and difficult to enforce. And 30 years is a short period of time!

• Historic Designations: Being listed on the National Register of Historic Places (or a state register) is a designation. It is honorific. It offers very little protection.

• Historic Districts: Historic Districts are only as good as the Historic District Commission that happens to be in place at the time. They have discretion that may be in conflict with generally-accepted preservation practices. You can also easily change,amend, or repeal the by-law.

• Historic Preservation Restrictions (generally for structures) and Conservation Restrictions (generally for land): These are the most effective restrictions. Here in North Andover, we have at least five properties that have Historic Preservation Restrictions and many landscapes are protected with Conservation Restrictions. With these types of restrictions, an organization (such as Historic New England or the Trustees of Reservations) “holds” the restrictions and has a duty to ensure the restrictions are adhered to.

So how do you protect historic landscapes and structures?

Please join us for a one hour talk with Dylan Peacock, Senior Preservation Services Manager at Historic New England on how best we can preserve some of the things that makes North Andover special.

About Historic New England: Historic New England, previously known as the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities (SPNEA), is the oldest and largest regional preservation organization in the United States. Historic New England owns and operates such places as Beauport in Gloucester, Gropius House in Lincoln, and the Lyman Estate and Greenhouses in Waltham.

This talk was sponsored by the North Andover Improvement Society and the North Andover Historical Society and can be seen again here.