The Historical Commission's Mission

Mission Statement

The Historical Commission is established by the Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 40, Section 8D.  The Historical Commission interacts and coordinates its work with other Town boards and committees such as the Community Preservation Committee, the Planning Board, the Conservation Commission, and the M.N. Spear Library, as well as with the Friends of the Shutesbury Historical Commission and state agencies such as the Massachusetts Historical Commission.

 

The Historical Commission's mission is to preserve and protect the tangible evidence of the architectural, aesthetic, cultural, economic, archaeological, political, and social history of Shutesbury. The year 1492 A.D. is often considered when European colonial activities began in the Western Hemisphere. The Historical Commission is interested in all types of historical information and resource areas, both pre-Contact and post-Contact.

 

We are the town agency responsible for ensuring that preservation concerns are considered in community planning and development. As advocates of local preservation, we are also a resource for information about historical resources and preservation activities. We work with the Massachusetts Historical Commission and other agencies to preserve the distinctive and vital characteristics of Shutesbury. The Commission is the conduit through which any local sites pass if they are eligible for National Register consideration.

The Commission conducts research for historic or cultural resource areas, cooperates with other researchers, and coordinates activities with unofficial bodies organized for similar purposes. The Commission may advertise, prepare, print and distribute books, maps, charts, plans, and pamphlets necessary for its work from time to time.

To protect and preserve such places, the Commission may make recommendations about certification of historical or cultural landmarks.