At their February 5, 2024 meeting the Arlington Redevelopment Board dissolved the Master Plan Implementation Committee and its working groups, including this one.

Historic and Cultural Resources Working Group (HCRWG)

This group is advancing Arlington Master Plan goals and objectives related to the Town’s Historic and Cultural Resource Areas. Operating under the purview of the Master Plan Implementation Committee (MPIC) on behalf of the Arlington Redevelopment Board, the group includes representatives from the MPIC, as well as the Town’s Historical Commission, Historic Districts Commission, Arlington Historical Society, and Department of Planning & Community Development.

Information about past projects is below. Please contact Marisa Lau, Senior Planner, Department of Planning & Community Development at mlau@town.arlington.ma.us with any questions.

Archaeological Reconnaissance Survey

In 2023, the HCRWG completed a town-wide survey of sensitive archaeological areas with the assistance of the Public Archaeology Lab, Inc. This project, which was funded through a Community Preservation Act grant, resulted in the submission of a technical report and specialized documentation of archaeological resources for the statewide inventory to the Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC). Along with site-specific reports on the Old Burying Ground and Prince Hall Mystic Cemetery, a public report was prepared containing maps and other survey information that will help the Town protect significant archaeological resources more effectively, and help educate the community about its Native American and historic past.

Documentation of Town-Owned Historic Resources

In 2022, the HCRWG completed a community-wide survey of historic buildings and landscapes owned by the Town of Arlington with the assistance of consultants Wendy Frontiero and Martha Lyon. This project was funded through a Community Preservation Act grant and resulted in specialized, detailed documentation of select historic properties submitted to the Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC) for inclusion on the statewide inventory in addition to a final report. Properties eligible for this project were not already protected by local historic district or National Register designations, or were not documented according to current standards. The properties were selected based on the following criteria: architectural and landscape quality and integrity; historical significance; visibility and threats; and under-represented resource types.

Inventory forms for the Town-owned properties can be accessed through the Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System (MACRIS) or by emailing mlau@town.arlington.ma.us. 

Survey Master Plan

In April, 2019, the HCRWG completed the Historic Preservation Survey Master Plan with the assistance of consultants Wendy Frontiero and Kathy Broomer. The purpose of the plan is to identify Arlington’s local historic resources, including historic buildings and places, cultural and archaeological elements, and other significant objects and structures, for inventory with the Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC). The plan provides an overview of the Town’s historic development and existing inventory of historic resources, and offers recommendations for neighborhood areas and individual properties that merit study from a preservation planning perspective. It establishes priorities for evaluation and recommends phases of work to be completed in the near-, mid-, and long-term (5+ years) as potential funding sources arise.

Noting that the MHC Inventory of Historic and Archaeological Assets of the Commonwealth evolves continually, the plan describes how over time and with changes in Town, Arlington’s priorities for preservation may shift. However, the highest priority task identified in the plan is to make corrections to Arlington inventory forms on file with the MHC (i.e., corrections to street addresses, notations of buildings demolished or moved) and concomitant coordination with Arlington Historical Commission records. The plan then prioritizes additional recommendations by neighborhood and by resource type (areas and individual properties) and provides cost estimates for completing inventory forms for the recommendations.

Inventory Update

In 2018, the HCRWG engaged residents in a process that culminated in an update to the "Inventory of Historically or Architecturally Significant Properties in the Town of Arlington." Funded by grants from the Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC) and Community Preservation Act funds, the Town updated the statewide inventory with 135 historically significant residential properties. In September, 2018 the Arlington Historical Commission voted to accept the new inventory forms.

 The 135 residential properties selected for this update are located in a neighborhood south of Arlington High School that remains largely historically intact. The Phase I Inventory Update Property List and a final report from consultant J.M. Goldson can be viewed here. All inventory forms are available through MACRIS.

Historic and Cultural Resources Working Group Members

Peter Howard (Arlington Historical Society)
Ann LeRoyer (MPIC)
Steve Makowka (Historic Districts Commission)
JoAnn Robinson (Historical Commission)
Diane Schaefer (Historical Commission)

For more information, please visit the the Arlington Historical Commission's independent website.

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