LYNNFIELD — Since being charged with the care, custody, and management of the Meeting House and Pope-Richard Historical House back in March, the Historical Commission has been burning the midnight oil on several projects designed to beautify the buildings and Town Common.
From beautiful new granite signage; to new tables and chairs, framed photos depicting the town’s rich history at the Meeting House and new window candle lights just in time for the holidays; to a complete makeover of the exterior of the Historical Center, and the new-and-improved Country Store, the commission, under the leadership of Chair Kirk Mansfield, has its foot on the gas and no intentions of letting up.
“So many things had fallen into disrepair in recent years,” Mansfield said. “Both buildings and other (town) center buildings had no references to history, and we are changing that. We need to preserve and share our history, not take it down. The great news is that the Meeting House has reopened and is generating revenues directly for the town, which will be used for preservation and improvement.”
“I am happy to say that Kirk has put all the history, much of it that had been removed, back into these wonderful buildings, so this is real progress,” said Historical Commission Country Store subcommittee Chair Karen Nascembeni. “He has worked so hard to restore these properties with stories of our history after years of neglect. The commission is thrilled to be able to work directly with the town to restore Lynnfield’s history and share it.”
Since the commission assumed management of the town’s two historical properties, Mansfield has gone full steam ahead. He successfully supervised the signage project, which saw signs installed at the Meeting House; the old Center School, located in what’s now the children’s wing of the Lynnfield Library; the Pope-Richard House; Centre Congregational Church; and Centre Farm.
“When we realized these properties had no historical identification, (committee member) Abby Kilgore suggested the idea for the signs,” Mansfield said. “We knew they would be a perfect complement to the beautiful work done by the town in restoring the common.”
Mansfield said the exterior of the Pope-Richard House has been repainted. Long-overdue repairs were also made to fix damage caused by lack of proper maintenance. New doors were installed to complete the stunning restoration. Mansfield said the next project will be to restore the interior, which has also suffered from years of neglect.
“That will come, we don’t know when, but it will happen,” said Mansfield. “Better said, it’s our obligation to the town to make it happen.”
Select Board Chair Dick Dalton said Mansfield’s record of accomplishment speaks for itself.
“Under his leadership, the Commission has accomplished a great deal in a relatively short time,” he said. “The rehabilitation of the Pope Richard House, the historic markers in the Center, the upgrades in the Meeting House — to name a few. And there are more projects in the pipeline.”
Mansfield’s labor of love, no doubt, is the recent addition of a photo display he installed on the interior walls of the Meeting House, giving visitors a unique opportunity to journey back in time and view Lynnfield’s historical landmarks. Included in the display are the 1903 Center School on Main Street, torn down in 1983 to make way for Center Village senior housing; the Lynnfield Centre Train Station and Telegraph Office, one of three built between 1850-59; the F.A. Russell Grocery and Candy Store (93 Summer St.); the old Lynnfield Hotel circa 1837; and the circa 1940s sign on top of the Town Common trough, giving travelers directions to Pillings Pond and Lynn (turn right) and Middleton (stay left on Main).
Mansfield was also instrumental in establishing the subcommittee to coordinate the return of the popular Country Store, now in its 58th year, hand-picking Nascembeni to serve as chair and Karen Hathaway as vice-chair.
“I can’t think of anyone more capable and appropriate to take on this enormous task than Karen. Her family has such a rich tradition with the store going back to the very beginning, so she is the perfect person for this,” Mansfield said.
Dalton praised Mansfield for his advocacy on numerous improvements, including the restoration of the town bell and the major landscaping upgrade to the Town Common.
“We are fortunate in this town to have volunteers like Kirk, who spend a considerable amount of their time for the benefit of us all,” said Dalton.
Mansfield’s mission is to “preserve and share our history, not tear it down.” With the town now receiving revenue from Meeting House rentals, the sky’s the limit.