Bedford’s Historic Preservation Commission Opposes MassDOT’s Proposed Salt Shed Site

Wildflowers at the Wilson Mill Dam, shortly after its dedication - Image (c) JMcCT, 2013
Wildflowers overlooking the pond at Bedford’s Wilson Mill Dam, shortly after the park’s dedication – Image (c) JMcCT, 2013

Compiled by The Bedford Citizen

At its meeting on January 5 the Bedford Historic Preservation Commission (BHPC) voted unanimously to oppose the proposed location for MassDOT’s salt shed and maintenance facility across Route 62 from the Town’s recently restored Wilson Mill, a site on the National Register of Historic Places.

Donald Corey, BHPC’s Clerk, notified MassDOT’s consulting engineer Jeffrey T. Malloy at the BSC Group of the commission’s concerns in a letter, and then presented the letter during MassDOT’s informational meeting in Bedford on January 15.

Citing Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act that requires agencies receiving Federal funds “to take into account the effects of their actions on historic properties and to take prudent and feasible measures to avoid those effects, ”the BHPC requested “that the Massachusetts Historical Commission use its authority to block any further Federal or State funding of this project until MassDOT complies with the Federal law.”

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BHPC’s letter goes on to outline Wilson Mill’s history:

“Located immediately across the street from MassDOT’s proposed facility, the Wilson Mill site represents one of the earliest Colonial sites in Bedford.   John Wilson built a corn mill there immediately after the end of King Philip’s War in 1676.  The mill was a major employer through the 19th Century, and it operated until after World War II.  The site is listed by the National Park Service on the National Register of Historic Places.” 

The letter also notes previous and current assaults to the mill site:

“During construction of the Route 3/Route 62 interchange in the 1950s, the mill was demolished and a portion of the site (including the former location of the miller’s house) now lies under Route 62.  Closure of Old Burlington Road across the milldam and construction of Route 3 itself has provided a noisy but effective buffer to further degradation of the site for over half a century.  However, the proposed MassDOT facility would now literally encroach to within 100 yards of the milldam, spillway and mill foundation.

“The proposed facility’s aesthetic degradation, visual pollution, noise pollution, light pollution, air pollution, and probably water pollution of Vine Brook that flows along the west side of that site are totally incompatible with the adjacent historic site, as well as with the residential neighborhood.  There are multiple potential alternate sites for this facility in the commercial and industrial zones on the east side of Route 3 at this interchange (including but certainly not limited to areas adjacent to the new Middlesex Turnpike/Route 62 intersection 0.1 miles east of the interchange), as well as sites at the Concord Road/Route 3 interchange or even at the Treble Cove interchange near the House of Correction.  None of those would impact historic sites, and they would have little or no impact on residential neighborhoods.

“MassDOT previously attempted to encroach into this historic and residential neighborhood on the west side of the interchange when it proposed to pave the historic site and to install a Park and Ride commuter parking lot – essentially “pave Paradise and put up a parking lot” in the words of Joni Mitchell’s song.  The Town killed that proposal.  Partly in response to that scheme, Bedford used Community Preservation funds to purchase the portion of the Wilson mill site that it didn’t already own, to restore the area and to install amenities for a historic and recreational park.  It is enjoyed by both residents and employees of the many nearby businesses who jog, walk or even have lunch on summer days at the park.  When the milldam was condemned several years ago, more Community Preservation funds were used to construct the new dam that is aesthetically pleasing and which preserved and stabilized as many of the mill ruins as possible.  The historic park was rededicated in 2013, but it is threatened by MassDOT once again.”

Because no federal funds will be used in the Salt Shed project, MassDOT commented during their informational meeting that BHPC’s concerns would not affect the project going forward.

BHPC is seeking the opinion of the Massachusetts Historical Commission and hopes to have their response in time to share it with the Selectmen during their meeting on Tuesday, January 20.

Correction: The Selectmen will meet on Tuesday, January 20, not on January 19.

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