BY MATT HERSH
The Salem Historic District Commission is making a push to protect the town’s former town hall, which is now the Historical Society Museum.
Beverly Glynn, chairman of the commission, has begun the process of registering the building with the state as a historic site.
“We want to save (the building) for our children,” she said. “It’s the oldest meeting house in the state still in use.”
The building, which is located on Main Street, has been standing since 1740. Over the years, it has served as a meeting house, a school, a church, and now, a museum, Glynn said.
Registering the building with the state won’t provide it with any funding or protection, but it might encourage residents to remember the town’s past.
Getting this recognition from the town could make it easier for the commission to seek funds in the future when applying for national recognition, which takes a substantial amount of time and money, Glynn said.
National registration could cost Salem thousands, but Glynn said the price tag would be worth the benefits. Historic buildings and sites in the state are “a vanishing breed,” she said.
The money would have to be approved by voters at a future Town Meeting. Currently, the town already pays for the building’s upkeep and volunteers spend many hours cleaning it.
If the building does become nationally recognized, it will be protected from development and will receive money from the government, Glynn said. There are currently about 700 federally registered historic sites in the state.
In addition to the museum, Glynn said she’d also like to see three other structures get registered – School House No. 5, Pump House No. 2 and the Alice Hall Memorial Library. These three buildings are located next to each other, she said.
Town Manager Henry LaBranche said he approved of the idea and that selectmen should move forward with Glynn’s proposal.
LaBranche and Glynn are working on a hefty amount of paperwork to send to state officials. The forms should be ready by the end of the month, Glynn said.