It looks as though the end is near for the Priest Williams House at 69 Dudley-Oxford Road in Dudley. This circa 1780 Federal-style house was the residence of Abiel “Priest” Williams, who was a minister in Dudley for 32 years. According to the Historical Commission, this wood-frame house was “once one of the most magnificent dwellings in Federalist Dudley.” The home had been vacant and neglected for nearly a decade before the present owners purchased it last October for $40,000. The new owners applied for a demolition permit, triggering Dudley’s demolition delay ordinance.

After inspecting the house with Circuit Rider Michele Barker last November, Historical Commissioners Ed Bazinet and Michael Braniff concluded that the house was remarkably sound, despite years of neglect. Mr. Bazinet and Mr. Braniff found the massive stone foundation and central chimney base one of the most impressive they’ve seen in town, and noted that much of the original interior trim remains intact. Even some of the original 12-over-12 windows have survived. The Historical Commission invoked a 12-month demolition delay in November 2009.

Since then, Dudley’s Historical Commission has been working tirelessly to find solutions for the Williams House before the clock runs out. Preservation Massachusetts listed it as one of the state’s Most Endangered Resources this past fall, in the hopes that the publicity might attract a new owner. The listing did bring the house to the attention of a potential buyer interested in relocating the building, but unfortunately, the cost of the project exceeded his budget.

The demolition delay expired last November. The owners are willing to sell the house for $1 to anyone who will relocate it, but unless a white-hat rescuer appears on the scene, it looks as though the Williams House will be gone as soon as the weather permits.

If there are any last-minute rescuers out there, please contact Ed Bazinet or Michael Braniff of the Dudley Historical Commission at 508-949-8004

Click here to read a Worcester Telegram-Gazette article about the house.

Find more photos of the Priest Williams House on Preservation Massachusetts’ Flickr site

Preservation Massachusetts has extended the deadline for our 2011 Preservation Awards through Friday, February 25!

Each spring PM holds its annual awards dinner as part of its fundraising campaign. The organization honors people, businesses and other organizations for their important work in the field of historic preservation.

This year’s Paul E. Tsongas Awards will honor the preservation excellence of higher education institutions and preparatory schools of Massachusetts. Click here for a nomination form, or contact Program Manager Courtney Whelan at cwhelan@preservationmass.org

Eligibility: Higher educational institutions and preparatory schools in Massachusetts. Nominations may come from the institution or any project affiliate, including but not limted to, architects, contractors, sub-contractors, craftsman, planners, consultants, designers, preservation advocates, alumni, etc.

Award Categories include:
· Master Plan
· Preservation
· Restoration
· Landscape
· Adaptive Re-Use
· Compatible New Construction
· Green & Sustainable Building
· Stewardship
· Community Commitment and Revitalization

Deadline: Nominations must be received by Preservation Massachusetts no later than February 15, 2011. Please submit nominations to Preservation Massachusetts, Old City Hall, 45 School Street, Boston, MA 02108. Electronic copies can be emailed to cwhelan@preservationmass.org.

Click here to download the nomination form.

The 2011 Awards Dinner will be held on Wednesday, May 4 at the Fairmont Copley Plaza in Boston.

On February 16, New Bedford was named as one of the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Dozen Distinctive Destinations for 2011. Now we need your help in making the city the “fan favorite” of the group by voting online today!

Each of the twelve Distinctive Destinations has their own dedicated web page on the National Trust’s website and people from all over the country get to vote for a “fan favorite”, which will be announced next month. Anyone 18 years or older can vote once a day, everyday for their favorite destination. So, if you “heart” New Bedford, click here and vote today and every day for the next month!

Last September, WHALE nominated the City of New Bedford for a national heritage tourism award presented annually by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. And, it paid off. On February 15, WHALE, the City of New Bedford and the National Trust announced the exciting news that New Bedford has been named one of a Dozen Distinctive Destinations in the United States in 2011. New Bedford is the only city in New England to be recognized this year.

Since 2000, the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Dozen Distinctive Destination program has recognized cities and towns that offer an authentic visitor experience by combining dynamic downtowns, cultural diversity, attractive architecture, cultural landscapes and a strong commitment to historic preservation, sustainability and revitalization. In each community, residents have joined together and taken action to protect their town’s character.

“New Bedford easily meets all the criterita the National Trusts sets for this prestigious designation,” said Lisa Bergson, WHALE Executive Director. “We were pleased to collaborate with the City of New Bedford to submit a strong nomination that clearly illustrated all the great things New Bedford has to offer.”

Jim Igoe, president of Preservation Massachusetts is also thrilled at the designation. “Through the challenges of declining industry and urban renewal, New Bedford’s spirit shone through and its inclusion as a 2011 Distinctive Destination is a testament to all those who have worked tirelessly to revitalize, preserve and celebrate all that is New Bedford. Special congratulations to the Mayor and City of New Bedford, the Waterfront Area Historic League, the National Park Service, the New Bedford Preservation Coalition and many other partners in preservation, both past and present. This is an incredible honor and we are extremely proud to celebrate this achievement with you”.

Click here to see New Bedford’s site & to vote

Our View: Award of Distinction for New Bedford

Editorial|The Standard Times| February 16, 2011

New Bedford — It might not have the horsepower of Boston, and it doesn’t have the mystique of the Cape, but New Bedford has what a lot of other places wish they did: authenticity.

On Tuesday, the National Trust for Historic Preservation named New Bedford one of the 2011 Dozen Distinctive Destinations in America.

The program chooses communities that are “unique and lovingly preserved” in an effort to promote heritage tourism.

Few cities or towns of any size can match New Bedford, of course.

From the city’s preservation office to the Waterfront Historic Area League (W.H.A.L.E>) and the city’s Office of Economic Development, New Bedford has long recognized the value of historic preservation and its role not only in attracting new businesses and residents but in maintaining the close bonds of community among people who treasure their history.

Our collective history is not only in the Whaling Museum or the National Park…

For the full article, click here.

Peddocks Island is home to an abandoned fort, but it will soon be renewed for public use

By Andrew Ryan|The Boston Globe| February 20, 2011

Hull — A ghost town haunts Peddocks Island.

Branches have sprouted from chimneys. Ovens in a boarded-up bakery have sat cold for decades. And thieves have stolen parts of the wood floor from the basketball court in the gymnasium.

Assailed by ocean wind and scavenged by vandals, this abandoned red-brick village was once Fort Andrews, a handsome century-old military complex with a rich history in a far corner of Boston Harbor.

Battalions of troops trained here for World War I. Thousands of Italian soldiers knew it as a prisoner of war camp during World War II that allowed weekend passes to the North End for home-cooked food and romance with local girls. It even functioned as a backdrop for Martin Scorsese’s 2010 film “Shutter Island”.

To preserve what remains of this fort…

For the full article, click here.