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Home > Departments > Historical Commission
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Denise M. Quinn, Chair
Robert G. Dewey
Robert Heisler
Kimberly A. Irzyk
John M. Knapik
Ellen M. McEwan
Mildred M. Zombick
59 Court St.
Westfield, MA 01085
(413) 572-6200 (Mayor's Office) |
| The Westfield Historical Commission meetings are held on the third Monday
of the month at 7:30 PM. Meetings are held at the Westfield City Hall in room 201 on the second floor. If there is a holiday
on that date, the meeting is held on the fourth Monday. The first fifteen
minutes of each meeting are devoted to public participation. |
The Historical Commission (WHC) was founded in 1963 under state law C. 40,
Section 8 D.
The Commission is allowed from 3-7 members who are appointed by the mayor for a three year term.
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The powers and duties are as follows:
- preservation, protection and development of historical or archeological assets
- reporting the existence of archeological, paleontological or historical sites or objects
- conduct research for places of historic or archeological value
- cooperate with the state archeologist in such research or surveys
- seeking to coordinate the activities of unofficial bodies organized for similar purposes
- make recommendations to the city council related to the above
- report to the state archeologist the existence of any archeological, paleontological or historic site or object discovered
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At this time Westfield has 10 Historical Places that are listed on the National Historic Register:
- Landlord Fowler, Tavern - 171 Main Street
- State Normal School - Westfield Municipal Building - 59 Court Street
- State Normal Training School - Washington Street
- Van Deusen, H. M. Whip Company - 42 Arnold Street
- Watson - Steiger - Loomis - Octagon House - 28 King Street
- Westfield Athenaeum - 6 Elm Street
- Westfield Whip Manufacturing Company - 360 Elm Street
- Old Burying Ground, Mechanic Street
- United States Whip Company Complex - 24 Main Street
- Dewey House - 87 South Maple Street
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In the last twenty years the City of Westfield has been challenged with many major changes. Currently the whole city faces major changes such as:
- the second bridge over the Westfield River
- the refurbishing of 85 Broad Street by the Easthampton Savings Bank
- highway improvement and entrance to the Massachusetts Turnpike on Clay Hill
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The City of Westfield was founded in 1669. Westfield has a long and proud history. The WHC seeks to preserve our past for future generations. Projects currently being worked on by the Westfield Historical Commission include:
- the placement of an Historical Marker on the site of the Historic New Haven and Northampton Canal and H.B. Smith.
- the development of a walking tour publication directing visitors to locations prominent in Westfield’s past.
- the acquisition of a suitable property in which to establish a Westfield Museum.
- the installation of a prominent sign identifying the Revolutionary War era cemetery, The Old Burying Ground on Mechanic Street
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