Sandisfield– New Boston’s Sandisfield Village, at the intersection of Routes 8 and 57, has been approved by the Massachusetts Historical Commission and the United States Department of the Interior to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
A dedication ceremony takes place on Saturday, September 17 at 11 a.m. at Wilber Park in Sandisfield, located at the junction of Routes 8 and 57. Brief remarks will be made by State Rep. William “Smitty” Pignatelli, Chairman of the Sandisfield Historical Commission, Ron Bernard, City Manager of Sandisfield, Jonathan Sylbert, and curator and architectural historian, Bonnie Parsons.
An interpretive panel will be unveiled, excerpts from which read: “The town of Sandisfield, incorporated in 1762, was established at this location by the Daniel Brown family of Boston in 1750-1751. The neighborhood retains considerable architectural fabric from the mid-18th century to around 1880, including Federal, Greek Revival, and Gothic Revival styles. As farms were established throughout Sandisfield, New Boston in the 19th century became the commercial center of the city, at one time having three general stores, several mills, and a variety of stores. For a time in the 1930s, patrons included crowds of ski jumping enthusiasts who flocked here to see professional jumpers perform at Suicide Hill in the heart of the neighborhood. The restaurant and tavern at the New Boston Inn provide such hospitality to this day.
The first step in the long process was completed in 2015 by the Sandisfield Historical Commission which prepared an inventory of the town’s historically significant architectural assets. The state then agreed to hire a consultant to prepare the application. From there, several years of planning and intensive research, including a series of challenges and verifications, led the Massachusetts Historical Commission to determine that the village of New Boston meets the listing criteria. The National Register of Historic Places is the listing of individual buildings, sites, structures, objects, and neighborhoods deemed significant in American history, culture, architecture, or archeology.
Sandisfield Historic Commission Chairman Ron Bernard said, “National Historic Districts serve to promote the benefits of preservation and are prestigious. Of the 75 buildings or structures in New Boston Village, 49 contribute to the character of the neighborhood.
