Danvers Historical Society: Collecting Signatures For CPA

Press release from the Danvers Historical Society:

February 9, 2022

Saturday, February 19 and 26 from 10am to Noon.

Tapley Memorial Hall, 13 Page Street, Danvers Square.

Please stop by to sign the petition: 1,100 signatures are required by March 22 to place the question on the May 3rd ballot. Tapley Memorial Hall will be open Saturday, February 19 and 26 from 10 to 12 for members to sign the petition and ask any questions that they may have.

The Trustees of the Society voted to support what is likely the most important historic preservation effort that the Town of Danvers has undertaken in the past century.

Citizens of Danvers are currently collecting signatures on a petition that would place acceptance of the Community Preservation Act on the ballot for our town election on May 3rd, 2022. By accepting this state Act, the Town of Danvers would create a grant program to fund historic preservation, open space preservation, and community housing programs. This fund would mean that the Rebecca Nurse Homestead Museum, the Danvers Historical Society, the Daughters of the American Revolution (Samuel Holten House), and other Danvers history organizations would be able to apply for a share of more than $1.2 million in grants each year.

The Community Preservation Fund is partly paid by fees collected by the Registry of Deeds.

Currently, this money paid by Danvers residents is going to other towns’ historic sites each year instead of funding historic preservation here in Danvers. In addition to state money, the fund would be financed by a local charge of 1% of your current property tax bill. (Not the assessed value.) The average Danvers home owner would pay about $17.50 per quarter.

With CPA historic preservation grant funds, the Town of Danvers Preservation Commission would be able to:

Restore the dozens of veteran’s graves that have fallen into disrepair and dishonor in the town-owned cemeteries (such as on High St.) or the abandoned cemeteries the town maintains.

Ensure preservation of the 1681 Salem Village Parsonage site on Centre St.,1892 Peabody Institute Library, 1855 Town Hall, 1832 Putnamville School, façade of the 1923 Holten-Richmond Middle School, 1870 Civil War memorial and other veterans memorials, the Salem Village Witch-Hunt Victims Memorial on Hobart St., and numerous other historic sites.

How you can be involved:

-Sign the petition. 1,100 signatures are required by March 22 to place the question on the May 3rd ballot. Tapley Memorial Hall will be open Saturday, February 19 and 26 from 10 to 12 for members to sign the petition and ask any questions that they may have.

-Attend an information session along with members of the Rebecca Nurse Homestead Preservation Society at 7pm on April 20th at Tapley Hall on Page St.

-Encourage your friends and family who are Danvers residents and supporters of historic preservation to support this effort as well.

-Host a sign on your lawn, or volunteer to hold a sign at an intersection around town.

-Vote YES on May 3rd, 2022

For any questions, please contact Vice President, Dan Bennett at 978-828-0296 danbennettre@outlook.com

This press release was produced by the Danvers Historical Society. The views expressed here are the author’s own.