HomeMy WebLinkAboutWheelwright Letter of OppositionDear Ms. Brown and the Barnstable Historical Commission,
We write as lifelong Cotuit summer residents to urge you to prevent in any way possible the move and
partial demolition of the Ebenezer Crocker House at 49 Putnam Avenue, Cotuit. It is a visible and valued
reminder of Cotuit Port's varied architectural, economic and social history and an important part of the
fabric of the village. With its ells, one possibly older than 1783, its well-preserved ice house and
workshop building it represents a vanishing resource, a historic farmstead.
It is visible and enjoyed by all in Cotuit on a daily basis. Those of us who use our harbor appreciate the
front and center view of the house and are reminded of its sea captains and schooners. It is visible and
enjoyed as a historic farmscape from users of Old Shore Road and the curve of Putnam Avenue who can
see and appreciate its buildings in their original context. The planned move and demolition would
degrade the value of this everyday reminder of Cotuit's history. Partial demolition and moving the
house to 555 Main Street to "get around" the Conservation Easement on the field at 49 Putnam would
make a mockery of the easement and destroy the historic value of the buildings that the house in its
original current location represents.
A National Register designation, which this property has and fully deserves, usually discourages moving
structures and destruction of context and the stated reason for the move, easier access to a private
recreational facility, does not serve a public good.
We hope you will act to preserve this important historical resource.
Warren Wheelwright
Diana S. Wheelwright
Benjamin F. Crosby Jr. House
616 Main Street, Cotuit