CPA SPRING 2024 GRANT SUBMISSION HIST N'HAMP.pdfHistoric Preservation at Historic Northampton:
Research on Parsons House (1719) and Shepherd House (1796)
Preparatory to Restoration and Re-opening
Project Location
The projects will take place at two of Historic Northampton’s properties:
• Parsons House, 58 Bridge Street: Parcel 32A-260-001
• Shepherd House, 66 Bridge Street: Parcel 32A-176-001
Administrative management of the projects will take place in our headquarters, 46 Bridge Street
(Parcel 32A-175-001).
Community Preservation Criteria
These projects meet the criteria for historic preservation.
Project Summary
1. Project 1: Update historic structures report, perform architectural materials analysis, and
perform structural engineering analysis of Parsons House prior to restoration and public
re-opening. To be combined with $18,500 from 2019-20 CPA grant. Request $44,104.
2. Project 2: Preliminary architectural examination of Shepherd House preparatory to a
historical structures report and technical and feasibility study. The tenant Mass
Humanities will vacate the house by June 30, 2024, making the building free for study.
Request $3,000
The total requested is $47,104. (See Appendix 1)
About Historic Northampton
Historic Northampton is a community-centered museum and education center. Our mission is to
collect and preserve Northampton's past and to explore the town's history, its human-made
landscape, and the natural world that underlies and surrounds it.
Located on two park-like acres near downtown, we maintain four historic buildings: Parsons
House (1719); Shepherd House (1796) and Shepherd Barn (1805); Damon House (1813). We
hold 40,000 objects, including a nationally significant historic clothing collection, and a well-
used local history archive. Our grounds are a beloved neighborhood greenspace. In August 2023,
we opened the newly restored Shepherd Barn, which showcases large local artifacts. In its first
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months, the barn was the setting for 17 events, including 12 sold-out performances of three plays
about Northampton history, a barn dance, and a chamber music concert. More performances of
local history are planned for spring and summer of 2024.
We offer more than fifty programs each year held on site, in neighborhoods, cemeteries, and
conservation areas, as well as on zoom. As a small museum, our hallmark is flexibility, variety,
creativity, and inclusiveness, and we readily share our time and expertise. In the last few years,
we have researched and programmed around the lives of those previously erased from the
historical narrative: enslaved persons and Indigenous people. The detailed research studies
appear on our website (www.historicnorthampton.org).
Project 1: Update historic structures report and architectural materials analysis of Parsons
House for new interpretation and public opening ($44,104)
Parsons House was built in 1719, which makes it one of oldest standing houses in Northampton
(see Figure 1). The house has been closed to the public since 2007, and the public has been
clamoring to see “what’s inside” since then. Our plan is to research the structure thoroughly
using building archaeology protocol and new analytic techniques. The long-term goal is to re-
open it to the public with a new and more relevant story to tell, likely in 2026.
More specifically, with a team of experts, we will learn where each component of the house—its
timbers, stone foundation, bricks, nails, plaster walls, paint was sourced, how these components
were made, and how these elements were assembled. (The 1992 study showed that the 18th-
century plaster contained grass, textile fibers, sand, and perhaps soil, but these were not
analyzed.) With this information, we can better understand the “ecology” of the house as well as
the interconnections between the natural world and the people who lived here from 1719 through
the early 20th century. This will inform how the house’s history relates to local conditions, global
trade, changes in construction, advances in technology, and shifts in fashion and design. At the
same time, Historic Northampton will work with researchers to gain a clearer understanding of
the geology, ecology, and land use history immediately around the house and within a one-
kilometer radius, from the Native people who occupied this area for millennia to the arrival of
the Parsons family and later inhabitants of this house and land.
To accomplish the investigation of the house, we have contracted with Myron Stachiw,
architectural historian, who will oversee the entire investigation and prepare the final report.
According to Stachiw’s proposal:
The project will involve a process known as building archaeology – careful examination,
exploration, and documentation of the physical fabric of the structure – combined with
historical documentary research. It will build on the 1992 Historic Structures Report
conducted by SPNEA [Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities, now
Historic New England], the extensive documentary research conducted by museum staff over
the years, and will undertake a variety of new investigations, including:
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• define changes in building practices and materials as revealed in the several phases of
construction of the Parsons House, and interpret them in the context of Connecticut
River Valley architectural trends;
• investigate and document the painting schemes that survive in the various rooms of
the house, and identify and interpret the paint pigments used to color the various
painted surfaces over time;
• explore and identify the various building materials – organic and inorganic – used in
the housed from an historical ecological perspective;
• identify the historical and aesthetic context of wallpapers found in the house;
• conduct a new dendrochonological study, building on work completed in 2003 by
William A. Flynt, to accurately date all the phases of construction of the Parsons
House;
• perform a structural load assessment of the first and second floor framing to identify
live load occupancies as well as storage limits; and
• assess general structural and building envelope conditions, including review of past
remediations and movements.
A New Assessment for a New Interpretation
In the 32 years that have elapsed since the first Historic Structures Report (1992), developments
in technology have yielded a strong body of research on similar houses, allowing for more
examples for comparison. In addition, new analytical techniques have made it possible to learn
many more details about each timber, coat of plaster, and layer of paint. We want to learn how
the house was built, how builders solved problems, and what materials they had available. In
other words: how does this house embody the world of 1719 Northampton? With the information
assembled, a visitor will be able to step into Northampton history and compare the past with the
present day.
The Assessment Team
As previously noted, the team will be led by Myron Stachiw, a widely recognized expert in 18th-
century New England architecture. His role is to perform the architectural archaeology, oversee
the structural engineer and technical investigators, and produce the final report.
Since the early 1970s, Mr. Stachiw has worked in museums and historical agencies such as Old
Sturbridge Village, Colonial Williamsburg, and Historic New England as a curator, historian, and
archaeologist, and he has served as a consultant to numerous state and local preservation
agencies and museums. He has taught in the master’s degree programs in historic preservation at
the University of Massachusetts Amherst and at Roger Williams University.
The other members of the architectural history assessment team include:
1. William Flynt, architectural historian for dendrochronology dating of timbers
2. Elizabeth Acly, structural engineer for stability of building
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3. Christine Thomson, conservator paint and plaster analysis
4. Amy Cole Ives, conservator for paint analysis
5. Mary Lou Davis, conservator and wallpaper analysis
6. Nevan Carling, preservationist and timber framer for Connecticut Valley framing
technique
7. John Brady, hard rock geologist and Smith College professor emeritus, for foundation
stone analysis (pro-bono)
Please see Appendix 2A for Myron Stachiw’s complete proposal, budget with detailed list of
work, bios of specialists, and Stachiw’s c.v.
Appendix 2B contains photographs of the Parsons House.
Next Steps
Following the receipt of the new Historic Structures Report in 2025, we will:
1) Host a mini-conference to share the results with the full team of experts and
consultants
2) Offer a public program by members of the team that focuses on findings of the study
2) Identify additional research needs
3) Develop a restoration plan
4) Devise an interpretive plan for Parsons House Interpretation and its surroundings. The
plan will be developed by a small group that includes a cross-section from the
Northampton community, school representatives, as well as landscape ecologists,
architectural historians, and historians of English and Native communities.
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Figure 1: History of Parsons House
Parsons House stands on its original location on the home lot that was granted to Joseph and Mary Bliss
Parsons in about 1654. (Mary Bliss Parsons’s witchcraft accusations in the 1650s and 1670s were the subject
of a play performed in the Shepherd Barn in summer 2023.) The house was built by their grandson Nathaniel
Parsons. A dendrochronology study in 2003 revealed that the pitch pine framing members were cut in 1719,
and the house was presumed to have been built in that year or shortly after. It was originally a two-and-a-half
story wooden frame house with a center chimney, typical of those built by prosperous Connecticut Valley
farmers up until the 1750s. By the end of the 1700s, the Parsons House owners had added to the rear a large
kitchen and two small rooms in a lean-to. Over the next fifty years, after more additions, a new, larger roof
was built to incorporate the entire house. The many periods of remodeling in the 18th and 19th centuries tell
the story of changing tastes, rising affluence, expanding families, widowhood, and priorities. The early core
of the house remains intact.
Past Uses of Parsons House
The Parsons House was donated to the Northampton Historical Society in 1941 through the will of its last
owner-occupant Anna Catherine Bliss. She believed (erroneously) that the house dated to 1658 and that it was
the original home of Cornet Joseph and Mary Bliss Parsons. The Society opened it to visitors on Wednesday
and Friday afternoons. It featured "fine old furniture" as well as household items: wooden plates, butter
churns, ceramics, cradles, quilting frames, looms, and portraits.
In the mid-1970s, the parlor, which is the room at the left upon entering the front door, was furnished in an
1840s style, with museum collection items reflecting the 1843 probate inventory of F. Hunt Wright, who had
lived in the house after the Parsons family sold it. The second-story bedroom was furnished as the 1940s
bedroom of Anna Catherine Bliss. An office, museum store, and caretaker's apartment occupied several
rooms in the rear of the house.
In 1992, a team of historic preservation experts, overseen by the architectural conservator at the Society for
the Preservation of New England Antiquities (now Historic New England) produced an expansive historic
structures report, which can be accessed on our website. Visitors were able to tour the house during open
hours to watch the conservators work as they peeled back the house’s layers to reveal its history of changes.
The conservators intentionally left open some of these areas to reveal parts of walls, scraped paint layers,
remnants of wallpaper and hidden architectural details, which they covered with plexiglass and can still be
seen today. Docents were trained by the conservators and led tours that focused on the house’s architectural
additions and changing interior finishes.
In 1999, as exhibitions in the modern Damon House education center took precedence, tours of Parsons
House took place only on weekends or on request.
In November 2007, when both the first and second floors of the adjacent Shepherd House were fully rented as
office space, the furniture from Shepherd House was relocated to the Parsons House, which was then closed
to the public.
In 2014, the Parsons House underwent basement to attic renovations, including asbestos removal, a new
heating system, electrical code upgrades, a new foundation along the back wall to stabilize the main body of
the house, and other repairs. In May 2015, the public participated in a month-long community archaeology
dig inside and outside the house. In the summer of 2017, the public was invited to help with a community dig
of a 19th century cistern, which had been discovered below a 20th century mudroom that was removed to
install a new sill. The renovations and upgrades since 2014 were supported primarily by CPA funds.
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Project 2: The Shepherd House Pre-Assessment ($3,000)
As of June 30, 2024, our long-term tenant Mass Humanities will vacate the Shepherd House and
relocate their offices to a smaller headquarters elsewhere. For the first time in 55 years, Historic
Northampton will have no tenants in Shepherd House. With the house unoccupied, we will have
the opportunity to make a preliminary assessment of the condition of the interior, exterior, frame,
and all systems of the house, which was built in 1796. Only after such an assessment can we
consider the many ideas that have already bubbled up for a “new use” for Shepherd House. The
process will help us define and establish a schedule for the next steps of analysis, restoration,
repairs, upgrades, uses, and interpretation of the house.
The preliminary assessment will be conducted by historic preservationist Eric Gradoia, who is a
well-known expert in 18th-century architecture and adaptive re-use. His assessment will identify
any special issues we might need to address regarding restoration and include a summary of his
observations, plus a list of the types of consultants needed to evaluate the building more
thoroughly in a future feasibility study. Working with him, we will be able to develop a detailed
list of the next steps related to consultants, engineers, and contractors, including ADA access.
Over the past seven years, we have kept up with essential repairs to the Shepherd House,
including these:
• repointed chimneys and added copper flashing (with CPA funds)
• repaired roof and slates (with CPA funds)
• restored the front porch and reconstructed the 19th century tracery (with private funds)
• rebuilt the side porch (with CPA and private funds)
In addition, in 2022, energy efficiency and thermal envelope assessments were conducted by
UMass consultant Ben Weil and independently by staff from MassSave.
Appendix 1 (Total Budget) includes a $3,000 line item for Eric Gradoia’s consulting services.
Appendix 3A contains Gradoia’s c.v. and Appendix 3B is a collage of photographs of the
Shepherd House.
Budget
The total budget for these two projects is $79,104 (Appendix 1).
Of this we are requesting $47,104 ($44,104 for the Parsons House project; $3,000 for the
Shepherd House assessment). A 2019 CPA grant (City Contract #221-20-- Restoration of
Shepherd Barn, Parsons House, Shepherd Porch, and Construction of Art Wall) included $18,500
for the Parsons project, which we will use.
Furthermore, since our Fall 2023 application for CPA funds, we applied to the Mass Cultural
Council’s Technical and Feasibility Grant program for $25,000. If awarded, the MCC grant
would encompass a portion of the work detailed above ($12,000) and include two components
that are ineligible through CPA:
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(1) creation of a plan for energy efficiency at the Parsons House that is consistent with
our preservation mission and moves the organization ahead with its goal of net
neutrality by 2030 ($9,000)
(2) an assessment of the building to ensure ADA compliance and accessibility. ($4,000)
Community Need and Service
The two proposed projects will serve the people of Northampton and beyond.
• Project 1: A detailed analysis of the Parsons House will inform our interpretation,
restoration, and re-opening of one of the oldest buildings in Northampton. This house has
witnessed history—from Jonathan Edwards time and Shays Rebellion to Pride Parades
and Black Lives Matters protests. Its timbers began growing when this place was called
Nonotuck and when wolves and mountain lions roamed the land that we now call
Northampton.
• Project 2: A preliminary assessment of the Shepherd House is Phase 1 before re-opening
the building to the public. The house has a fascinating history and telling the lives of its
past occupants will breathe life into Northampton’s history.
Long-term Success and Maintenance
The long-term success and maintenance of these projects is dependent upon the professional staff
and attentive management of Historic Northampton, which is in a leadership and financial
position to support this work in the short and long term. Maintenance of collections and
buildings is in our annual budget.
Community Involvement
The team of experts we assembled draws heavily on professionals in the Connecticut River
Valley, including several residents. If there are opportunities to draw other volunteers from the
community as part of this project, we will do so.
Community Support
The community supports Historic Northampton. During the last seven years, our donor base has
grown to more than 900 individuals, households, and businesses. We now have more than 100
volunteers who donate their time to help with collections, research, grounds work, and
maintenance. Our mailing list includes more than 3,400 subscribers and our Facebook page has
more than 16,000 followers.
The recent Shepherd Barn restoration project captured the public’s enthusiasm. Since November
2022, more than 700 people volunteered to help on the barn--pulling the barn with ropes, crafting
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and raising its timber frame additions, and installing the locally sourced, hemlock floor. The
opening receptions for the barn in August 2023 drew more than 500 plus guests and visitors, and
another 500 guests attended the three plays that we commissioned to inaugurate the barn as a
performance venue. The plays brought local history to life and gave attendees a new
understanding of the depth and complexity of Northampton history and the relevance of the past
to the present.
The projects described in this application build on the public’s burgeoning interest in
Northampton history. We have heard many times from community members how much they
recognize and appreciate Historic Northampton’s careful planning, attention to detail,
scholarship, and professionalism. For these reasons, these projects have the support of our
neighbors in Ward 3, descendants of the Parsons and Shepherd families, as well professional
curators and conservators.
Letters of support for these projects were submitted in Fall 2023 and are in Appendix 4.
Overall Project Timeline
Spring/Summer 2024: Myron Stachiw and team begin assessment of Parsons House
Summer 2024: Eric Gradoia completes assessment of Shepherd House
Fall 2024: Preliminary findings of Parsons House
Winter 2024/2025: Report preparation and share findings among consultants
Winter 2025: Mini-conference with experts and scholars to discuss findings
Spring 2025: On-site, live-streamed public program by Myron Stachiw and other experts to share
findings with a broader audience.
Feasibility
These projects are feasible and will be overseen by Historic Northampton staff, namely Laurie
Sanders and Elizabeth Sharpe, co-directors. The work will also be supported by collections
manager Kelsy Sinelnikov and museum administration manager Marie Panik.
The contractors are all professional experts, and we have worked with several of them before.
We are confident in their ability to complete the work on time and look forward to learning from
them.
List of Appendices
Appendix 1: Overall Budget
Appendix 2A: Project 1 Myron Stachiw proposal and bios of key contractors
Appendix 2B: Photos of the Parsons House
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Appendix 3A: Project 2 C.V. of Eric Gradoia
Appendix 3B: Photos of the Shepherd House
Appendix 4: Letters of Support
Historic Northampton Spring 2024 CPA
Appendix 1: Budget
Current CPA
Request
MCC
Award
Previously
Awarded
Private
Donations Total Cost
Project 1: Study of Parsons House
Myron Stachiw & Consulting Team** $44,104
Mass Cultural Council (Anticipated) 12,000
Previous CPA Award $18,500
Parsons Family Association & Members $1,500
TOTAL $76,104
Project 2: Preliminary Study of
Shepherd House
Eric Gradoia $3,000 $3,000
Total $47,104 $12,000 $18,500 $1,500 $79,104
Appendix 2A
Project 1
Myron Stachiw Proposal and Bios of Key Contractors
Proposal
Architectural Study of the Parsons House,
Historic Northampton Museum and Education Center
Bridge Street, Northampton, MA
Prepared by
Myron O. Stachiw
East Woodstock, CT.
September 12, 2023
The following proposal is prepared in response to a request from the Historic Northampton
Museum and Education Center to conduct a reevaluation of the architectural history and
interpretation of the c.1719 Parsons House, and to help formulate a new
restoration/interpretation/exhibition plan for the house which will explore the ecology of the
house and its materials in historical context over more than three centuries of its existence.
Scope of Work
The project will involve a process known as building archaeology – careful examination,
exploration, and documentation of the physical fabric of the structure – combined with historical
documentary research. It will build on the 1992 Historic Structures Report conducted by
SPNEA, the extensive documentary research conducted by museum staff over the years, and will
undertake a variety of new investigations:
• define changes in building practices and materials as revealed in the several phases of
construction of the Parsons House, and interpret them in the context of Connecticut River
Valley architectural trends;
• an archaeological investigation and documentation of the painting schemes which survive
in the various rooms of the house, and identification and interpretation of the paint
pigments used to color the various painted surfaces over time;
• explore and identify the various building materials – organic and inorganic – used in the
housed from an historical ecological perspective;
• identify and explore the historical and aesthetic context of wallpapers found in the house;
• conduct dendrochonological study, building on work conducted in 2003 by William A.
Flynt to accurately date all of the phases of construction of the Parsons House;
• conduct a preservation structural engineering study by Elizabeth Acly, Cirrus Structural
Engineering, LLC, which will include:
o structural load assessment of the first and second floor framing to identify live
load occupancies as well as storage limits;
o general structural and building envelope conditions assessment including review
of past remediations and movements;
o general review and analysis of framing and building envelope details and other
character- and age-defining features to support the comprehensive architectural
assessment;
o findings will be presented in a written report with photos and graphics to illustrate
and supplement the narrative.
Project Timeline
The research and physical investigation phases of the study will commence in May 2024 and
continue through the summer and fall of 2024, followed by analyses, interpretation, and
preparation of the final report for submission to Historic Northampton in late winter/early spring
of 2025.
Project Budget
1. Review existing documentary research to identify gaps, questions and
potential sources of additional information. (Myron Stachiw)
2 days @ $75/hr ($600/day) $1200
2. Careful room-by-room inspection and review of 1992 SPNEA HSR (Myron Stachiw)
a. Explore physical fabric and compare to conclusions of 1992 HSR
b. Note changes or need for further investigation
c. Identify sites for new investigation/excavations
d. Identify sites for further paint investigation/sampling
e. Identify sites for additional dendrochronology sampling and dating
8 @ $600/day $4800
3. Conduct additional physical investigation/excavations/documentation
as needed (Myron Stachiw)
6 days @ $600/day $3600
4. Parsons House construction over time in context of Connecticut River Valley
building traditions (Nevan Carling)
a. Physical Investigation, research, documentation, and preparation of
report with illustrations
10 days @ $350/day $3500
5. Conduct dendrochronology sampling and analyses (William Flynt)
a. Identification/context of wood used in various parts of the structure
(frame, flooring, finish woodwork, special characteristics, etc.) $4500
b. Myron Stachiw - 1 day @ $600 $ 600
6. Paint investigation (Christine Thomson)
a. On-site room-by-room investigation – compilation of stratigraphic
charts of surviving paint stratigraphies -
12 days @$700/day $8400
b. Myron Stachiw – 2 days oversight @ $600/day $1200
c. Sample preparation, laboratory analyses and photography,
25 samples @ $150/sample $3750
d. Preparation of summary report
4 days @$800/day $3200
e. Travel - 5 round trips, Salem, MA – Northampton –
248 miles@$.655/mile $ 812
7. Identification of paint pigments and report
(Amy Cole Ives, Sutherland Conservation and Consulting)
12 samples @ $200 per sample $2400
Report preparation -2 days @ $800/day $1600
8. Wallpaper study (Marylou Davis)
a. Research to identify wallpaper patterns, date/place of manufacture;
historical context of =materials, pigments, manufacturing processes;
decorative design context of patterns and colors in relation to stylistic
trends and painted woodwork; marketing (purchase/sale); installation.
b. Report/essay preparation $7600
c. Travel - Woodstock CT – Northampton, MA
130 miles RT @ $.655/mile x 8 trips $ 681
9. Preservation structural engineering study (Elizabeth Acly, Cirrus Structural Engineering,
LLC)
a. Structural load assessment of the first and second floor framing to
identify live load occupancies as well as storage limits.
b. General structural and building envelope conditions assessment
including review of past remediations and movements.
c. General review and analysis of framing and building envelope
details and other character and age defining features to support the comprehensive
architectural assessment.
d. Findings will be presented in a written report with photos and
graphics to illustrate and supplement the narrative. $8500
10. Review/recommendations on anticipated uses and related building improvements.
(Myron Stachiw)
2 days @ $600/day $1200
11. Draft and final reports with recommendations (Myron Stachiw)
15 days @ $600/day $9000
12. Progress meetings with HNI
Myron Stachiw 3 days @ $600/day $1800
Christine Thomson 2 days @$700/day $1400
Marylou Davis 1 day @$700/day $ 700
13. Mileage – Myron Stachiw Woodstock, CT – Northampton, MA
130 miles @ $.655 x 15 trips $1277
Elizabeth Acly Columbia, CT – Northampton, MA
135 miles @ $.655 x 10 trips $ 884
14. Miscellaneous supplies, services, copying
• conservation supplies (per David Dempsey request)
• additional analytical services (C14 dating, identification of
organic materials such as grasses in the plaster, etc.) $1000
15. Drafting – architectural $2500
Total $76,104
ATTACHMENTS
A. Proposal of Christine Thomson, Decorative Arts Conservation, Salem, MA
B. Sutherland Conservation and Consulting., Hallowell, ME
C. Proposal of Marylou Davis, Woodstock, CT
D. Proposal of Cirrus Structural Engineering
E. Bios of Elizabeth Acly, William Flynt and Myron Stachiw
Christine Thomson
cpthomson12@gmail.com
617-281-2189
Proposal for Historic Paint Study
Project: Nathaniel Parsons House (ca. 1719)
Owner: Historic Northampton
Date: September 5, 2023
The goal of this proposed project is to conduct a room-by-room paint investigation on both the
first and second floor of the Parsons House. The purpose of the investigation is to identify and
document the paint history on all interior surfaces, including woodwork (window and door
architraves, baseboards, wainscot, crown moldings or any other wooden trim), doors, floors and
plaster.
Scope of work
1. Investigate the painted surfaces in every room and create a stratigraphic chart describing the
paint layers on various elements. This will allow for a comparative study of paint layers
within a given room, which can often give clues to alterations or additions within the space.
2. Select specific areas for sampling and prepare samples for cross-sectional microscopy.
Representative samples will be examined using a microscope with both visible and
ultraviolet light capabilities. The images will be photographed and included in a report
3. Observations noted in each room will be included in a final report along with
photomicrographs of the most significant samples.
Estimate of costs:
12 days on-site for investigation and compilation of stratigraphic charts@700/day $8400
Laboratory work , including sample preparation, examination and photography,
not to exceed 25 samples, at $150/sample. $3750
Summary report: 4 days @$800/day $3200
Reimbursable expenses:
travel: 5 round trips, Salem, MA – Northampton – 248 miles@$.655/mile $ 812
Total: $16, 162
Marylou Davis Inc.
517 Route 169
Woodstock, CT 06281
860-617-3902
maryloudavis12@gmail.com
September 6, 2023
Proposal for the following preservation work at the Nathaniel Parsons House, Historic
Northampton, 46 Bridge Street, Northampton, MA. 01060
Consult on historic wallpapers and historic paints finishes
Research on historic wallpapers
Prepare and write essay for publication within Myron Stachiw’s Historic Structures Report
Consult with team members on interior finish treatments and preservation
Possible conservation removal of original wallpapers and archival preparation for storage
Cost:
One Smith College intern for assistance in research - $600.00
Fees for Marylou Davis - $7000.00
Travel Expenses - 130 miles RT @ $.655/mile x 8 trips = $681.00
Total - $8281.00
Submitted:
Marylou Davis, Inc
517 Route 169
Woodstock, CT 06281
860-617-3902
Proposal
Cirrus Structural Engineering, LLC
19 Lower Woodland Terrace, Columbia, CT 06237
T 860.337.0200 F 860.471.8138 E cirrus@cirruseng.com
To: Historic Northampton Museum and Education Center
Bridge Street, Northampton, MA
Proposed Scope of Work:
a. Structural load assessment of the first and second floor framing to
identify live load occupancies as well as storage limits.
b. General structural and building envelope conditions assessment
including review of past remediations and movements.
c. General review and analysis of framing and building envelope
details and other character and age defining features to support the
comprehensive architectural assessment.
d. Findings will be presented in a written report with photos and
graphics to illustrate and supplement the narrative.
Fee for services $8500
Travel expense - Columbia, CT – Northampton, MA
135 miles @ $.655 x 10 trips $ 884
Total $9,384.00
William A. Flynt
626 Rice Farm Road
Dummerston, VT 05301
Qualifications statement
William Flynt served as the Architectural Conservator for Historic Deerfield, Inc.
from 1979 to his retirement at the end of June 2019. While there he was responsible
for overseeing the care of 53 historic structures that included conducting
research on the building fabric as well as in period documents, working with in-house
restoration craftsmen and outside contractors on remedial work as well
as complete restorations, and documenting the work being undertaken.
In 2003 he was taught by Paul Krusic, at the time an employee of the Lamont
Doherty Tree-Ring Laboratory, the processes for conducting dendrochronological
studies of historic structures. Since then he has undertaken well over 250 such studies
involving buildings in all of the New England states as well as eastern New York. Bill
has lectured on the subject to numerous organizations and has co-taught,
with Paul Krusic, a week-long session on dendroarcheology (the dating of historic
structures) as part of the 2015 North American Dendroecological Field Week held at the
Schoodic Institute in Maine. Since retiring he has continued to conduct
dendrochronologial studies throughout the northeast for historical organizations,
restoration contractors, and private homeowners.
Myron Oleh Stachiw
P.O. Box 193 18 Doctor Pike Road
East Woodstock, Connecticut 06244-0193
tel.: 860.928.9190 cell: 860.208.6504
e-mail: mostachiw@gmail.com
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
Independent Historical and Architectural Consultant. From 1976.
(Client and project list available upon request)
Visiting Lecturer
University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Department of Art, Architecture, and Art History, M.S. Program in
Historic Preservation. January 2013 – 2015. “The Social History of New England Architecture”; “American
Building 17th – 20th century”.
Director, Fulbright Program in Ukraine
Institute of International Education (New York and Washington), Kyiv, Ukraine, August 2006 – December
2012.
Academic appointments
Associate professor
Roger Williams University, Historic Preservation Program, School of Architecture, Art, and Historic
Preservation, Bristol, R. I. Associate professor. 2003 - 2006.
Adjunct Professor
National University at Kyiv Mohyla Academy, Kyiv, Ukraine. Master of Arts in Archaeology and Ancient
History of Ukraine. 2006-2009. “Philosophy and Practice of Historic Preservation in International Context” ;
“Introduction to American Museums”; “Philosophy and Practice of Museums in North America”.
Lviv Polytechnic University, Lviv , Ukraine. Spring 2007 “Philosophy and Practice of Historic Preservation in
International Context
Taras Shevchenko National University, Kyiv, Ukraine. Master of Arts Archaeology and Museum Studies
Program. Fall 2005.
The Boston Architectural Center, Boston, MA. Historic Preservation Program. 2003.
Roger Williams University, Historic Preservation Program, School of Architecture, Art, and Historic
Preservation, Bristol, R. I. 1997-2002.
Tufts University, Department of History, Medford, MA, 1995.
Visiting Architectural Historian
Architectural Research Department, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Williamsburg, VA, 2000-2001.
Director of Research, Interpretation, and Education
Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities, Boston, Massachusetts 1993 to 1997. Also served as
Chief Research Historian and Staff Archaeologist.
Research Historian
Old Sturbridge Village, Sturbridge, Massachusetts. 1984 -1992.
Guest Curator (Selected exhibitions)
Weitzman School of Design, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. Curator of exhibition “Chornobyl
+ 20: This is our land-we still live here”, and lecture “‘Cultural Rescue’ in the Chornobyl Zone:
Documenting Traditional Culture in a Post-Apocalyptic Environment”. September 2019.
The Ukrainian Museum, New York, NY. Associate Guest Curator for exhibition “Taras Shevchenko: Artist,
Poet, Icon, 1814-1861.” September 2013 – June 2014.
The Ukrainian Museum, New York, NY; Ivan Honchar Museum and National Centre of Ukrainian Folk
Culture, Kyiv, Ukraine. Guest Curator, creator of exhibition “Chornobyl + 20: This is our land, we still live
here.” 2006.
Rhode Island Historical Society, Providence, R.I. Project Director, conducted research and created exhibition
"The Loom and the Lash: Northern Industry and Southern Slavery," at Museum of Rhode Island History,
Aldrich House, Providence, R.I., 1982 - 1983.
EDUCATION
M.A., American and New England Studies Program, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, 1982.
Concentrations: American Social History, Architectural History, Historical Archaeology.
A.B. with Honors, Anthropology, with concentration in Historical Archaeology,
Brown University, Providence, R.I., 1974.
GRANTS AND AWARDS (Selected)
Award of Merit, Connecticut League of History Organizations. April 2021. Lifetime achievement award
for work in historic preservation in Connecticut.
Teaching and Research Fellow, Fulbright Fellowship Program. Ukraine, September 2004 – June 2006.
Research into the impacts of the Chornobyl nuclear disaster on the cultural heritage of Ukraine.
Paul Buchanan Award for Outstanding Contribution to Vernacular Architecture Fieldwork, Vernacular
Architecture Forum, June 2003.
Winterthur Fellowship, Henry Francis DuPont Winterthur Library and Museum. October - December
1993. Research topic: The Culture of Commerce: The Rise of Consumption and a Consumer Culture in
Worcester County, Massachusetts, 1800-1850.
International Partnerships Among Museums, American Association of Museums Exchange Program,
exchange participant to Museum of Folk Architecture and Everyday Life, Lviv, Ukraine, September -
October 1989. Studied processes of ethnographic fieldwork and cultural heritage preservation and public
interpretation.
Abbott Lowell Cummings Award, Vernacular Architecture Forum, member of Old Sturbridge Village
research team awarded this prize for excellence in vernacular architecture studies for the Bixby Project, 1988.
Award of Merit, American Association of State and Local History, for exhibit "The Loom and the Lash:
Northern Industry and Southern Slavery," November 1983.
Selected Publications
With Mark R. Wenger and Alfredo Maul, “Chapter 8: Archaeology of the House: Architectural Analysis of the
Madison Mansion,” in Matthew Reeves, ed., Montpelier: The Archaeology of the Madison Family
Plantation 1723-1844 (University of Florida Press, 2006).
“The Politics and Reality of Archaeology in Contemporary Post-Soviet Ukraine,” in Proceedings of the 2nd
International Conference on European History: Ancient to Modern (Athens, Greece: Athens Institute for
Education and Research, 2005).
“Building English Houses: The Early Architecture of Native American and Anglo-American Settlers in
Southern New England,” Proceedings of the Third History Conference of the Mashantucket Pequot
Museum and Research Center, 2004.
The Early Architecture and Landscapes of the Narragansett Basin: Volume I-III (Vernacular Architecture
Forum, 2001). Author and chief editor.
"For the Sake of Commerce: Northern Industry and Southern Slavery," in The Meaning of Slavery in the
North, eds. David Roediger and Martin Blatt (Garland Publishing, Inc., New York and London, 1998).
Entries on Ukrainian vernacular architecture, in Paul Oliver, Editor, Encyclopedia of Vernacular
Architecture of the World, 1997; 2017-2020 (revisions for forthcoming 2nd edition, ed. Marcel Vellinga).
With David Simmons and John Worrell, "Archaeology From the Ground Up," in Historical Archaeology and
the Study of American Culture, eds. Lu Ann De Cunzo and Bernard L. Herman, (Winterthur Museum, 1996).
"The Color of Change: The Bixby House and the Social and Economic Transformation of the Household, 1807
- 1850," in Paint in America, eds. Roger Moss et al. (Preservation Press, Washington, D.C., 1994).
With David Simmons and John Worrell, "The Total Site Matrix: Strata and Structure at the Bixby House," in
Practices of Archaeological Stratigraphy, eds. Edward C. Harris and Marley Brown III (Academic Press,
1993).
RESEARCH INTERESTS
• Architectural history – North America, Europe, Ukraine
• American social history – 17th – 19th centuries
• Material culture studies (specialties: New England, Anglo-
America, Ukraine)
• Archaeology – North America, 17th – 19th centuries; Ukraine
• Industrial history of the United States, 18th - 20th centuries
• Historic Preservation – philosophy, planning, research, practices of restoration and conservation
• Museum studies – research, planning, interpretation; living history museums; historical museums
• Historical Memory and Identity Studies
ORGANIZATIONS, MEMBERSHIPS, AND COMMUNITY SERVICE
• Foundation for the Preservation of Ukraine’s Sacral Arts (Board of Directors, Secretary, 2019 - )
• Connecticut Humanities Council (Board of Directors, 2018-; Member of Applications Review
Committee; Member of Institutional Advancement Committee.)
• Vernacular Architecture Forum (member; Board of Directors 1996-1999; 2016-2019 - Chair, 2019-
member, Orlando Ridout V Fieldwork Fellowships Committee; Chair – Paul E. Buchanan Prize
Committee, 2017; member of Buchanan Prize Committee, 2018).
• Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation (member; Board of Trustees, 2002-2004; 2013 - 2020;
member of Grants Committee 2013- 2020; 40th Anniversary Conference Organizing Committee,
2014-2015; Chair, Education Committee, 2018-2020).
• ICOMOS-Ukraine (member of executive committee, 2006-2012)
• Woodstock, CT, Historic District Commission (Founding member and former Chair)
• Woodstock, CT, Historic Properties Commission (Founding member; former Chjair; currently Vice-
Chair)
• Woodstock, CT, Historical Society (Former President)
• The Colonial Society of Massachusetts – member since 1994
• Shevchenko Scientific Society-USA (Member of Board of Directors, 2015-; Chair of Grants
Committee, 2015 -)
• Chamberlin Mill, Inc., Building Committee, Chair, 2015 - .
FOREIGN TRAVEL AND LANGUAGES
Ukraine - 1989 – 2018; Russia - 1989-2000; Poland - 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008; Romania – 2003, 2005; Italy –
2003, 2005; Greece – 2004, 2008; St. Pierre and Miquelon (France) - 2002-3; Hungary – 1991, 1992, 2005,
2009; United Kingdom – 1978-2006; Austria – 1978, 2006; Germany – 1978, 2005-6, 2010; France – 1978,
2005, 2006; Egypt – 2004; Czech Republic – 2005-6; Slovakia – 2005-6: Thailand – 2007; Mexico – 2010;
Lithuania – 2013.
Native fluency in English and Ukrainian (reading, writing, speaking); moderate understanding of French,
Polish, Russian.
Historic Structure Reports and architectural investigations for which I served as principal or as member of a
team:
Vernon House, Newport, RI, (c.1710, 1760), as consultant to Spencer, Sullivan & Vogt, Charlestown, MA.
Architectural historian/building archaeologist for historic structures report for the Newport Restoration Foundation,
Inc. December 2020-September 2021.
Dorothy Quincy Homestead, Quincy, MA (1681 with later additions), as consultant to McGinley Kalsow &
Associates, Somerville, MA. HSR conducted for the MA Department of Conservation and Recreation. Research
and building archaeology. June – 2019 – March 2020).
Gov. Jonathan Trumbull, Sr. House, Lebanon, CT, CT Daughters of the American Revolution. Research, analysis,
and interpretation of the interior configuration, fabric, and finishes of the house to inform current phase of re-
interpretation and restoration of the house. June 2018 – (ongoing).
Esther Grosvenor House, Pomfret, CT. Architectural investigation and preparation of nomination to the National
Register of Historic Places – (ongoing).
Whitney Homestead, Nahant, MA, documentary and architectural investigation and documentation, February-
September 2018.
Dennis (MA) Historical Commission, West School House Architectural Investigation, March –December 2017.
Stanton-Davis Homestead Museum, Inc., Stonington, CT. Investigation and documentation of the Stanton-Davis
homestead for preparation of a Historic Structures Report. February 2015 – 2017.
Sheriff's Meadow Foundation, Chilmark, Martha's Vineyard, MA. Historical and architectural research on the
Hancock-Mitchell House for a Historical Structures Report and preparation of a National Register nomination.
January 2014 - 2017.
Medford Historical Society, Medford, MA. Member of research team conducting historical and architectural
research of the c.1683 Peter Tufts House; museum feasibility and preservation study for the Medford Historical
Society. May 2013-2016.
Providence Preservation Society, Providence, RI. Historic Structure Report (Phase I) for the Old Brick School
House (1769), 24 Meeting St., Providence, RI. Documentary research, physical investigation, documentation. July
– December 2013.
Hass Homestead, Nipmuc Nation, Grafton, Massachusetts. Historic Structure Report, 2005-2007.
Mark Twain House, Hartford, CT. Building archaeology assessment of service wing; recommendations for
restoration and interpretation. Principal, Fall 2003.
Town of Lincoln, R.I., research and investigation of Hearthside and the Valentine Whitman, Jr. House, preparation
of Historic Structure Reports. Project director and instructor through Roger Williams University, School of
Architecture, Art, and Historic Preservation, 2002-3.
Emily Dickinson House, Amherst College, Amherst, MA, exterior paint study and restoration planning, with Brian
Powell, architectural conservator of Building Conservation Associates, Inc. 2003.
The Trustees of Reservations, Col. John Ashley House Historic Structure Report Project. Sheffield, MA. Principal.
2002-3.
Society of Colonial Dames, Quincy, Massachusetts, Dorothy Quincy House. Research and preparation of National
Historic Landmark nomination. 2002.
Strong House, Museum of Amherst History, Amherst Historical Society, Amherst, Massachusetts. Principal,
Historic structure and landscape report. August 2001-July 2002.
Harriet Beecher Stowe Center, Hartford, Connecticut. Principal, Historic structure report, Harriet Beecher Stowe
House, May – December 2001
Architectural Research Department, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Williamsburg, Virginia.
• January – December 2000. Research and evaluation into historic buildings in Colonial Williamsburg and
throughout the Chesapeake region. Buildings studied include Monticello, Montpelier, Sotterley Plantation,
Salubria, Tuckahoe, Prestwould, Elm Hill, Wetherburn’s Tavern, Robert Carter House.
• July 2001 – Architectural Research Department, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. Completion of report on
investigation of Wetherburn’s Tavern; research at Montpelier.
• Fall 2001-Fall 2002 - Montpelier, Montpelier Station, Virginia, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Co-
director of research team, Historic Structures Report.
National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Research and documentation of
Hart/Choate House of Ipswich, Mass., c. 1700/1760 building in the National Museum of American History.
February to June 2000.
Fairbanks House, Fairbanks Family in America, Dedham, Massachusetts. Member of team of specialists to conduct
historic structures report; specialty – archaeological assessment of property and preservation impacts. Fall 1998-
Spring 1999.
Dana House, Milford Historical Society, Milford, New Hampshire. Architectural research and documentation of
18th century dwelling house. Summer 1998.
Emily Dickinson Homestead, Amherst College, Amherst, Massachusetts. Principal of team of specialists to conduct
historic structures report for the Emily Dickinson Homestead. Summer-Fall 1998.
Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center, Mashantucket, CT.
• 1997 - Historical and architectural research for design of c.1780 era Mashantucket Pequot farmstead dwelling
house reconstruction for museum exhibit;
• 2002-2003 – research and documentation of archaeological remains of historic-period dwellings in the Lake of
Isles Project.
• 2013 – architectural evaluation of 17th century structure in Old Saybrook, CT.
Governor Samuel Huntington Trust, Inc., Scotland, CT. Research director - historical, architectural and
archaeological research in support of new museum development, museum planning. 1997 -1998.
Appendix 2B: Photos of the Parsons House
A close-up view of the front staircase
The Parsons House (1719) at Historic Northampton. Parsons House: A window into Northampton history
Multiple layers of wall paper, exposed
here, will be analyzed with new
techniques.
The wall’s construction—plaster,
lathe, sheathing, nails—revealed in
1992.
An example of the width of the boards
in the buttery. The species and milling
will be determined in this study.
Quarried stone and brick form the
foundation of the Parsons House. This
study will answer not only what kind
of stone, but try to determine where it
was quarried and how. Similar
questions will be answered for the
bricks and the mortar—i.e. source of
materials, manufacturing techniques,
and age.
Appendix 3A
Project 2
C.V. of Eric Gradoia
ERIC GRADOIA
129 Winchester Road • Northfield, Massachusetts 01360
518-429-8696 • eric.gradoia@gmail.com
www.ericgradoia.com
EDUCATION
University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont
Historic Preservation Program
Master of Science in Historic Preservation
Concentration: Advanced Materials Conservation
1997-1998
Roger Williams University, Bristol, Rhode Island
Historic Preservation Program, School of Architecture
Bachelor of Science in Architectural Conservation
1991-1995
Historic Preservation Semester in England
Study of English preservation practices through site visits, lectures, studio classes, and
independent travel
1994
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Independent Consultant
Providing a broad range of services within the fields of historic preservation,
building archaeology, and architectural history. Services include:
• Historic Structure Reports (HSR) and Condition Reports/Conditions Surveys
• Architectural Investigations for Dating and/or Chronological Evolution of
Buildings
• Heritage Preservation/American Institute of Conservation CAP Assessor
• Architectural Documentation, Archival Research, Grant Writing
• Request for Proposals (RFP)/Request for Qualifications (RFQ)
2001 - Present
Historic Deerfield, Inc., Deerfield, Massachusetts
Director of Historic Preservation
• Oversee the repair and restoration of the museum’s 55 structures dating from
the early eighteenth-century to the late twentieth-century
• Conduct building archaeology and archival research to understand the
chronological evolution and construction of museum buildings and regional
architecture
• Curate the museum’s collection of architectural fragments
• Prepare lectures and articles for the general public, professional organizations,
educational institutions, and staff training
October 2017 to Present
Mesick • Cohen • Wilson • Baker Architects, Albany, New York
Architectural Conservator/Historian
• Development of Historic Structure Reports, Architectural Conservation
Assessments, Master Plans and Preservation Plans
• Recording of existing conditions through photography, measured drawings and
written descriptions
• Design of preservation sensitive treatment and repair options
March 2004 to September 2017
2
Massachusetts Historical Commission, Boston, Massachusetts
Massachusetts Preservation Projects Fund Program
Project Manager
• Management of state funded construction and research projects on National
Register properties for compliance with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards
for the Treatment of Historic Properties
• Technical assistance with the development and implementation of construction
documents, request for proposals, treatment recommendations and project
methodology
• Monitor compliance with Massachusetts state laws concerning bidding
procedures and procurement requirements for public and not-for-profit
organizations
• National Register Evaluation Team
Architectural Conservation and Education Service
The University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont
Paid Consultant
• Barre Historical Society - Barre, Vermont - Prepared the nomination to
successfully place the Socialist Labor Party Hall on the National Register of
Historic Places
• Barre Historical Society - Existing conditions report and decorative finish
analysis of Socialist Labor Party Hall stage area
• Wings Point Management - New York City, New York. - Decorative finish
analysis for Pier A rehabilitation project
April 1999 to March 2004
February 1997 to December 1998
U.S./ICOMOS International Summer Intern Program June to September 1998
National Trust for Historic Places
Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Gardens, North Yorkshire, England
• Existing condition reports for eighteenth and nineteenth-century masonry
buildings
• Documented structures, sites, and maintenance projects through written
descriptions and 35mm black and white photography
• Developed conservation sensitive treatment recommendations for maintenance
and repair of buildings
• Drafted stabilization treatments for structures awaiting repair
3
ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE
Roger Williams University, Bristol, Rhode Island
Historic Preservation Program, School of Architecture
Adjunct Faculty
Spring Semester 2007 - 2015
September 2001 to March 2004
• HP150: Introduction to Historic Preservation. The goals of this course are
twofold; one, to acquaint students with the evolution of Historic Preservation
in contemporary American culture; and two, to allow students to explore the
varied professional disciplines available in this broadening field. To achieve
this, the course incorporates a variety of speakers and site visits as a means
of exposing students to real world projects and professions. Field trips allow
students to further explore historical sites, historic districts and museums, in
order to learn about conservation practices, contemporary issues and heritage
education.
• HP160: American Architecture and the Western Tradition. A chronological
study of American architectural styles from 1620 to 1940. The course examines
vernacular and high style architecture and explores European influences and
inspiration.
• HP301/503: Architectural Conservation. Provides an overview of the professional
role of the architectural conservator in the preservation of historic structures. It
addresses architectural styles, construction technology, and dating techniques;
the composition, properties, uses, and conservation of traditional building
materials and systems; conservation standards, treatments and practices.
• HP341: Preindustrial America. A focused look at American vernacular
architecture from 1620 to 1820. Fields of study includes European archetypes,
building systems, house plans, and social customs.
• HP382/582: Architectural Conservation Lab. A study of the manufacture,
composition, properties, uses, craft traditions, and conservation of traditional
building materials and systems – wood, metal, glass, decorative finishes, and
masonry – and the architectural context in which they are employed.
Hudson Valley Community College, Workforce Development Office in
Partnership with the New York State Department of Parks, Recreation and
Historic Preservation
Paid Consultant
• Worked as part of a three person team to develop the curriculum for a historic
wood window rehabilitation course, the first module of a traditional trades
program jointly being developed by HVCC and NY SHPO.
Boston Architectural Center, Boston, Massachusetts
Historic Preservation Certificate Program
Adjunct Faculty
• TM573: Traditional Construction. Examines common building materials and
construction systems used in New England architecture from the seventeenth
century through the mid-twentieth century. Addresses their properties,
methods of manufacture, how they perform and how they fail.
2015
September 2002 to March 2004
4
HISTORIC STRUCTURE REPORTS (With MCWB Architects)
Monticello, Textile Workshop (c. 1778), Charlottesville, Virginia William
Henry Harrison’s Grouseland (1804), Vincennes, Indiana Hoffman (1789)
and Reynold (c.1810) Houses, Poughkeepsie, New York
Farmington Country Club Original Buildings (c.1785), Charlottesville, Virginia
Governor Henry Lippitt House (1865), Providence, Rhode Island
The Evergreens (1856), Amherst, Massachusetts
Philbrook, Museum (1920), Tulsa, Oklahoma
Cherry Cottage (1782), Stockbridge, Massachusetts
Pavilion III (1824), University of Virginia
Pavilion X (1824), University of Virginia
Hotel A (1823), University of Virginia
Hotel F/Levering Hall (1824), University of Virginia
ARCHITECTURAL INVESTIGATIONS (With MCWB Architects)
Homestead Library and Conservatory Restoration (1856 Target Date), Amherst, Massachusetts
Wilton (1753), Richmond, Virginia
Homestead, Emily Dickinson Museum: Emily’s Bedroom restoration (1856 Target Date), Amherst, Massachusetts
Maryland Old Senate Chamber (1783), Annapolis, Maryland
Gore Place (1806), Waltham, Massachusetts (Multiple investigations over years)
Farmington Country Club Survey of Buildings, Charlottesville, Virginia
Carter’s Grove (1750), Williamsburg, Virginia
Stratford Hall (1738), Stratford, Virginia
Homestead Architectural Investigation (1813), Amherst, Massachusetts
Colonnade Study (1825), University of Virginia
Hampton Mansion (1790), Towson, Maryland
Mark Twain Carriage House (1874), Hartford, Connecticut
CONDITION ASSESSMENTS (With MCWB Architects)
Pittstown Town Hall (c.1835), Pittstown, New York
Tyringham Library (1905) Roof Assessment, Tyringham, Massachusetts
The Evergreens (1856), Exterior Conditions, Amherst, Massachusetts
Canfield Casino (1870/1910) Interior Assessment, Saratoga Springs, New York
The Evergreens (1856), Basement Drainage, Amherst, Massachusetts
Oswego City Hall (1870), Oswego, New York
Lasell Hall (1795), Schoharie, New York
Lippitt House Cornice Survey, Providence, Rhode Island
Christ Church (1735), Irvington, Virginia
8th Avenue Reservoir (Late 19th century), Nashville, Tennessee
Salem Presbyterian Church (c.1830), Salem, New York
Arcola Slave Quarters (Late 18th century), Arcola, Maryland
Pavilion X Exterior Condition Assessment (1824), University of Virginia
Mathews County Courthouse (1795 Courthouse with 19th and early 20th century structures), Mathews County, Virginia
Corinth Rail Station (Early 20th century), Corinth, New York
Essex Community Church (1853), Essex, New York
Ochre Point (1884), Newport, Rhode Island
Tudor Place (1815), Washington, D.C.
5
MASTER PLANS (With MCWB Architects)
Pope Villa (1811), Lexington, Kentucky
Stockade Flood Mitigation Study, Schenectady, New York. Survey of 65 buildings dating between the late 18th century and
early 20th century.
University of Virginia: Survey of 150 post-Jefferson buildings, Charlottesville, Virginia. Getty Trust funded Master Plan.
William and Mary:Sunken Garden Campus (1923), Williamsburg, Virginia. Getty Trust funded Master Plan.
Florida Southern College: The Frank Lloyd Wright Campus (1939-1959), Lakeland, Florida. Getty Trust funded Master Plan.
The Emily Dickinson Museum Master Plan, Amherst, Massachusetts
COLLECTIONS ASSESSMENT PROGRAM (CAP) - Completed as an Independent Consultant
Emily Dickinson Museum: The Homestead and the Evergreens. (1813 and 1856), Amherst, Massachusetts
Firefighters Association for the State of New York (Early and mid 20th century buildings), Hudson, New York
Wellfleet Historical Society (c.1820 and c.1840), Wellfleet, Massachusetts
Sharon Historical Society (c.1775), Sharon, Massachusetts
Hanford Mills Museum (1820 -1890s building), East Meredith, New York
Cuttyhunk Historical Society (1991), Cuttyhunk, Massachusetts
REPORTS - Completed as an Independent Consultant
The Cadman-White-Handy House: A History of Owners and Families. Westport Historical Society. 2014
Cadman-White-Handy House Architectural Investigation (c.1712/c.1798/c.1825), Westport, Massachusetts. 2011
Helfand Farm Architectural Survey (c.1840), Dartmouth, Massachusetts. 2014
LECTURES
Techniques for Dating Historic Structures. Historic Eastfield Foundation. A three day seminar on the identification of
specific architectural elements and details used in the dating process. This includes the evolution of molding styles,
hardware, window and door treatments, fireplaces, timber framing methods, also tell-tale signs such as saw, hand plane
and planer marks. Eastfield Villiage, Nassau, New York. August 24-26 2016. (Copresenter)
The Vernacular Architecture of the Southcoast. An overview of the seventeenth, eighteenth, and early-nineteenth century
domestic architecture of the Southcoast. A discussion of common house forms, building plans, and architectural details
unique to each period will be explored. The evolution of the common domestic residence will be examined with respect
to changes in architectural trends, advances in construction technology, and the role social customs played in the
arrangement of one’s home. Westport Historical Society, Westport, Massachusetts. June 20, 2015.
The Architectural Evolution of the Parlour. Historic Eastfield Foundation. A Peek Inside the Parlour: 1780 – 1860. Eastfield
Villiage, Nassau, New York. August 2 – 4, 2010. (Copresenter)
The Age of Technology in American Buildings. Historic Eastfield Foundation. Modern America: A Decade of Remarkable
Change: 1840 – 1850. Eastfield Villiage, Nassau, New York. August 24 – 26, 2009. (Copresenter)
Inside the Greek Revival House: A Look at the Domestic Architecture of Pittstown, New York. Historic Eastfield Foundation.
The Greek Revival House in America: 1830- 1865. Eastfield Villiage, Nassau, New York. August 11- 13, 2008.
FILM/VIDEO
The Cadman-White-Handy House interpretive video. Provided commentary on the architecture and chronological evolution
of the house. Westport Historical Society, 2014.
Cherry Cottage: The Story of An American House. A feature-length documentary telling the story of America through the
owners and inhabitants of a small cottage in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Provided interviews on the style, evolution, and
restoration of the house. 2012.
6
BUILDING TRADES EXPERIENCE
Historic Deerfield, Inc.
Deerfield, Massachusetts
Restoration Carpenter
June to September 1997, 1996, 1995, 1994
The Society for the Preservation of
New England Antiquities - Conservation Center
Waltham, Massachusetts
Paid Internship
June to August 1992
ORGANIZATIONS AND AFFILIATIONS
SKILLS
• Proficient in AutoCAD, Adobe InDesign and Illustrator, Microsoft Office Suite
• Project documentation through digital and 35mm photography, field sketches/notes, and written work summaries
REFERENCES
Furnished on request
American Institute of Conservation (previously Heritage Preservation)
Collections Assessment Program (CAP) Assessor
2003 - Present
Historic Eastfield Foundation, Board Member 2015 - 2017
Society of Architectural Historians, Turpin Bannister Chapter,Board Member 2007 - 2012
Association for Preservation Technology, Board Member 2004 - 2005
Appendix 3B: Photos of the Shepherd House
Shepherd House (1796) at 66 Bridge Street. The house was
purchased by the Shepherd family in the mid-1800s. Thomas
Shepherd, the creator of the City seal, lived here from boyhood until
his death in 1923.
In 2021, fine furniture maker and
carpenter Doug Ferrante repaired and
restored the front porch entry.
While essential repairs have been attended to, we know that many of the window casings on the exterior of the
Shepherd House show signs of dry rot and damage.
The interior of the house includes many beautiful architectural details, as well as the paintings and messages of
Thomas Shepherd.
The front staircase that leads to the second floor, which was reserved for bedrooms.
Appendix 4
Letters of Support
Deanna D. Simons
13 February 2024
17 Beacon St.
Binghamton, NY 13901
dds85@cornell.edu
Brian Adams, Chair
Community Preservation Committee
c/o Planning & Sustainability
City Hall
210 Main St
Northampton, MA 01060
Dear Mr. Adams,
As President of the Parsons Family Association, I would like to reiterate our continued hearty
support of the Historic Northampton's efforts to secure funds for an architectural and
engineering investigation of the Parsons House located on Bridge St. in Northampton.
Historic Northampton has assembled an impressive team of researchers who will commence a
detailed investigation of the Parsons House with the goal of obtaining definitive answers on
the 'ecology' of the home as well as the interconnections between the sources of building
materials available in the early 1700's and the connection to the people who lived in the area.
All of these findings will be of invaluable to Parsons Family and the entire Northampton
community. Once uncovered, efforts can then move forward to reopen the Parsons House to
the public for viewing and educational pursuits.
Please join me in supporting Historic Northampton with the necessary funding for this
admirable pursuit. This is a wonderful project that can benefit multiple parts of the community
and reveal yet again how Northampton has benefitted from the cooperation of the people and
resources of this area.
Best Regards,
Deanna Parsons Simons
President, Parsons Family Association
15 Columbus Avenue
Northampton, MA 01060
13 February 2024
Mr. Brian Adams
Chair, Community Preservation Committee
c/o Planning and Sustainability City Hall
Northampton, MA 01060
Dear Mr. Adams:
I’ve lived in Northampton since 1974 and taught at UMass from then until I retired in 2012.
Until September 2023 I served on the Board of Trustees of Historic Northampton, leaving the
Board only because the HN bylaws stipulate that Board members must step down after serving
three three-year terms. I began working with HN after reading a front-page Gazette story
reporting on HN’s sorry economic situation and expressing concern about whether HN could
even survive. I immediately wrote to then-Board president Kiki Smith and asked how I could
help. Since that time I have been honored to participate in the astonishing renaissance of HN
under the inspired and inspiring leadership of its Co-Directors Laurie Sanders and Betty Sharpe.
It was thrilling to hear Brian Boyles, Executive Director of Mass Humanities, tell a large crowd
that Historic Northampton is the best historical museum in Massachusetts and to learn from John
Davis, President of Historic Deerfield, that Historic Deerfield looks to Historic Northampton for
what to do next. Certainly, from an organization on the verge of collapse in 2015, HN has
become one of our city’s major cultural institutions, contributing enormously to Northampton’s
attractiveness and vitality.
The projects for which HN now seeks your support are a continuation of that impressive
revitalization. At the outset of the Co-Directors terms, it was most imperative to restore HN to a
sound financial footing. It is to Laurie’s and Betty’s enormous credit as gifted grant writers and
fundraisers that that has been accomplished, and HN can now turn to more forward-looking
projects (of which the newly restored Shepherd barn is one.
I first visited HN in 1975 and was thrilled to be able to visit all three of its houses, furnished
with period items (though I now recognize that the display was quite unimaginative). But
Parsons House and Shepherd House have not been open to visitors in years. This grant proposal
moves in the direction of a most creative reopening. What is to become of Shepherd House has
yet to be determined; first its current physical condition must be assessed, and for that this grant
proposal requests a rather modest sum, which I urge the CPC to fund.
The plans for a new interpretation of Parsons House are much further along and quite
marvelous. As the Co-Directors conceive it, this new interpretation will situate the house within
its natural, built-environment, and social context, including its relationship to Native peoples as
well as English-speaking settlers and later Northampton residents. This is so much more
exciting a story than that of a house merely filled with old furniture, and it once more speaks to
the creativity and vision of HN’s Co-Directors. With the assistance of CPC funding, HN will be
able to investigate all the components that went into the making of Parsons House, thus showing,
as the proposal states, “how the house’s history relates to local conditions, global trade, changes
in construction, advances in technology, and shifts in fashion and design”—all cutting-edge
scholarly topics. HN will draw on a talented team of experts to undertake this assessment, and
then—yet more evidence of the Co-Directors’ ingenuity—HN will turn to a range of other
experts as well as members of the local community to craft the story that will arise from the
investigation of all aspects of the house. The involvement of so many people in this project is
certain to induce widespread interest across the city and ensure “buy-in” from the entire
community. This is an amazing project that will once more place HN on the map. The CPC will
be proud to have funded this project and, when it is completed, will be able to point to the newly-
reopened Parsons House with all its manifold features as an outstanding example of all that can
be undertaken with CPA funds.
I thus support both of these projects with very great enthusiasm, and I urge the CPC to fund
them both. I look forward to their completion as yet more evidence of HN’s astonishing rebirth.
Sincerely yours,
Sara Lennox
Brian Adams, Chair & the Community Preservation Committee
℅ Planning and Sustainability
City Hall
210 Main Street
Northampton, MA 01060
Dear Mr. Adams.
This letter is written in support of Historic Northampton’s application for a grant for a preliminary
preservation assessment on the Shepherd House.
As a Shepherd family descendant and active advocate for Historic Northampton, I have been consistently
impressed with the determination and series of accomplishments of the current directorship, staff and
volunteer crew. This includes the recent completion of the Shepherd barn project. Any aid for the
advancement of the conservational and educational goals is thoroughly deserved.
During a period of dynamic social change, it is necessary to support and encourage those institutions
which represent and maintain the evidence of our common history. Historic Northampton is one such
organization. The conservation of this remarkable group of buildings is essential to their successful
efforts to keep the past alive and engage with the community on a multitude of levels.
it is my great hope that you will grant the funds requested.
Sincerely,
Shepherd M. Holcombe, Jr.
Emmy Chamberlain Clausing
23 Ford Crossing
Northampton MA 01060
emmyclausing@yahoo.com
415-531-7763
Sarah LaValley
Northampton Community Preservation Committee
210 Main Street
Northampton MA 01060
October 30, 2023
Dear Sarah,
History lives in Northampton!
I am a resident of Northampton who arrived here as a Smith student in the 1960s and
whose heart never left here even when I physically did for a while. I stand in awe of the careful
work that has benefitted the buildings of Historic Northampton during the capable leadership of
Laurie Sanders and Elzabeth Sharpe. I frequented the Northampton Historical Society during my
first thirty years here, and, now returned to the Pioneer Valley, I am a proud supporter of Historic
Northampton, financially and with my presence. I have read their meticulously prepared proposal
“Three Projects for Preservation at Historic Northampton,” and I hope that the Northampton
Community Preservation Committee agrees to fund all of this—the urgently needed work on its
impressive clothing collection; building archaeology work to prepare the Parsons House for re-
opening to the public; and readying the soon-to-be-vacated Shepherd House for eventually
joining its beautifully restored barn as a public attraction. Anyone who participated with
enthusiastic crowds of people to move the Shepherd Barn off and then back on its foundation, or
who has attended events at the barn, can attest to the popularity and variety of Historic
Northampton’s programs.
The long-lived properties of Historic Northampton and their wonderful contents ARE
Northampton. The more thoroughly we know our past the better we understand our place in this
world. I am sorry to miss the November 1 meeting, but I hope this letter adequately delivers my
feelings about Historic Northampton. May history continue to live and thrive in Northampton.
Sincerely,
Emmy C, Clausing
PO Box 862, 136 Locke Hill Rd.
Wendell, MA 01379
September 10, 2023
Mr. Brian Adams
Chair, Community Preservation Committee
c/o Planning and Sustainability
City Hall
Northampton, MA 01060
Dear Mr. Adams:
As an impacted constituent of the educational programming and preservation efforts of Historic
Northampton, I am pleased to write a letter of support for the grant Historic Northampton is
submitting to the City of Northampton, which asks for CPA grant funds to enhance their ongoing
fundraising targets to assess and analyze the Nathanial Parsons house and Shepherd House, and
to address “urgent care issues” concerning the Museum’s clothing and textile collection.
I am proud, as a descendant of many of Northampton’s founding families and as a member of the
Parsons Family Association, that the Museum is aggressively taking on a huge and proactive role
in elevating awareness of our historical assets and resources. My research for writing “Silencing
the Women: The Witch Trials of Mary Bliss Parsons” has caused me to value what has been
preserved and to mourn what has been lost. In talking to readers of my book, I realize how often
descendants of early families seek to find touchstones to the past and desire to travel to where
their ancestors once stood. I firmly believe that having Historic Northampton enthusiastically
acting in our region’s best interests as a historical social/environmental interpreter has tangible
economic value to attract people yearning to find and celebrate their roots. I am rejoicing in the
possibility that the City of Northampton will partner with Historic Northampton in assessing and
preserving our past to underpin our present dreams that we are still building a paradise in this
unique place that we treasure together.
Thank you for considering letters of support from well-wishers.
Sincerely,
Kathy-Ann Becker
56 Longfellow Drive, Florence
25 October 2023
To: Northampton Community Preservation Committee
I would like to express my support for the application of Historic Northampton in
the current funding cycle. I am a volunteer there and have had an opportunity to
see parts of the campus and collection which are at the moment not able to be
open to the public. The successful renovation of the barn, as an exhibit and
performance space, shows what can be done to enhance the public’s appreciation
of the city’s past. The two other buildings likewise show promise of public appeal,
and are needed of renovation.
I am also impressed by the extensive collection of period clothing, currently
housed upstairs in the main building. These ancient fabrics are fragile and need to
be protected from the ravages of age. They are a startlingly wonderful window in
the life of past Northampton people.
Sincerely yours,
Thomas S. Derr