Sippican Historical Society

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In 1998, the Sippican Historical Society commissioned an architectural survey of Marion’s historic homes and buildings. The survey was funded one-half by the Sippican Historical Society and one-half by the Massachusetts Historical Commission. Because of the limits of funding, not all of the historic buildings were surveyed, but over 100 were catalogued and photographed. The results of the survey are in digital form on the Massachusetts Historical Commission’s website and in four binders in the Sippican Historical Society’s office (and at the Marion Town Clerk’s office). Marion (Old Rochester) is one of the oldest towns in the United States, and the Sippican Historical Society maintains an extensive collection of documentation on its historic buildings. The Sippican Historical Society will preview one building a week so that the residents of Marion can understand more about its unique historical architecture. This installment features 14 Main Street.

Built in 1760, the Cape Cod cottage at 14 Main Street was built for the Bates family. Behind this house is a small one-room schoolhouse where Elizabeth Pitcher Taber taught before her marriage in 1823. At one time, Miss Roberta Bates and her sister, Nancy Bates Crowell, kept a calico and notions shop in part of this house. At the turn of the century, noted artist and magazine illustrator Charles Dana Gibson lived here. He was the creator of the famous Gibson Girl, which helped to define female fashion in the 1890s. Charles Dana Gibson was a member of the wedding party of the famous war correspondent Richard Harding Davis and Cecil Clark at St. Gabriel’s Church in May 1899. Ethel Barrymore was also in the wedding party as the maid of honor.

Earth Day Trash Bash

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Marion is having a Scout-led Spring Town Clean Up on Saturday, April 28. Streets will be cleaned and closets cleared as the Marion Cub Scouts Pack 32 and Marion Boy Scouts Troop 32 join forces with GiftstoGive, the Marion Recreation Department, Tabor Academy, and Marion Department of Public Works for a spring cleaning! Please join us when we rally at Washburn Park on Saturday, April 28 from 8:30 – 11:00 am. (Rain date is April 29 at the same time.) Participants will be given trash bags, recycling bags, gloves and be provided with a yellow vest. Assignments will be handed out and participants will clear the trash and other debris left from winter and the four’easters’ wake.

In addition to cleaning up our streets, cleaning out our closets will also be on the agenda as the GiftstoGive truck will be at Washburn Park from 8:30 – 11:00 am, collecting new and gently used children’s items. Please see their website for details about items they accept: www.giftstogive.org.

Litter collected will be returned to Washburn Park to create a trash mountain, a visual testament to not only the stunning amount of litter left on town roadways but also to the amazing efforts of caring community members.

Nemasket Group 5K Walk/Run

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The Nemasket Group 5K Walk/Run will be held on Saturday, May 5. The race begins and ends at Fort Phoenix, Fairhaven, MA. Dust off your sneakers and join us for a morning of fun as we wind through Fairhaven for a great cause. Coming together as a community and making new friends while raising awareness for individuals with disabilities is a sure win for all. The first 125 registrants will receive a T-shirt. Registration begins at 8:00 am and the race starts at 9:00 am. For more information and to register for this event, please go to www.NemasketGroup.org or call 508-999-4436. We look forward to seeing you at the event.

Fatal Crash on Aucoot Road

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At approximately 8:05 pm, Friday April 6, 2018, the Mattapoisett Police Department received a telephone call reporting a motor vehicle crash on Aucoot Road approximately a quarter mile prior to the entrance to Harbor Beach.

Officers who responded to the crash site found a vehicle that had traveled south on Aucoot Road, a two-lane roadway and had crashed into a telephone pole and continued on into the wooded area.  Police EMS personnel on scene determined that the operator, the only person in the vehicle was deceased.  The operator of the vehicle was identified as James Bardsley age 45 of 14 Harbor Road Mattapoisett.

The Massachusetts State Police Collision Analysis & Reconstruction Section was notified, per protocol, of the fatal crash and responded to the crash site to assist the Mattapoisett Police Department in the crash investigation.

Power in the Aucoot/Hollywood’s Road area was out for several hours due to the downed pole as a result of the crash.

The Mattapoisett Fire Department also responded to assist with the crash.

Mattapoisett Police Department Press Release

Adam C. Evich

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Adam C. Evich, 47, of Fairhaven died April 7, 2018 at St. Luke’s Hospital.

He was the husband of Dagne (Sovik) Evich.

Born in Spokane, WA, the son of Peter and Marcia K. (Fuller) Evich, he lived in Edmunds, WA before moving to Fairhaven in 2003.

Adam was employed as a commercial fisherman on several vessels of the New Bedford fleet. He had fished many years in Alaska since he was 17 and he was on “Deadliest Catch” for seasons 1 and 2. He also was a mate aboard a tug for Western Towing in Seattle as well as serving abroad for Military Sealift Command.

He enjoyed spending time with his family, watching his sons sporting events, playing golf, hunting and riding his motorcycle. In his youth, he enjoyed playing hockey and played junior hockey in Canada.

Survivors include his wife; 2 sons, Mason Evich and Turner Evich, both of Fairhaven; a brother, Aaron Evich of Edmunds, WA; a sister, Amy Evich of California; and several nieces and nephews.

His Memorial Service will be held on Wednesday at 6 pm in the Trinity Lutheran Church, 16 Temple Place, Fairhaven. Arrangements are with the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home For Funerals, 50 County Rd. (Rt. 6), Mattapoisett. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to Commemorative Giving, Seattle Children’s Hospital and Research Foundation, PO Box 5371, Seattle, WA 98145-5005. For online guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

ConCom Takes Action on Wetlands Violation

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The Marion Conservation Commission on March 28 issued an Enforcement Order to the owners of 78 Wareham Road for what the commission perceived as an obvious violation of the Wetlands Protection Act and the Clean Rivers Act after visiting the site.

According to Vice Chairman Jeffrey Doubrava, extensive clear-cutting has taken place after visiting the site located next to the Weweantic River.

“A good part of the lot has been clear cut,” Doubrava said. “I’m not sure if that part of it is in [wetlands] buffer, but it’s certainly in the riverfront area. That’s … the mouth of the river…”

Doubrava pointed out that a deed restriction notes that the wooded area that was clear-cut was the habitat of at least one endangered species and not allowed to be touched, which is under the jurisdiction of the Massachusetts Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program.

“[The work is] not a subtle thing,” Doubrava said. “We didn’t go and pick trees out here and there; it’s essentially clear cut…”

“It’s pretty huge, I think,” said commission member Joel Hartley.

The property owner purchased the land, Doubrava said, and hired an engineer and also filed with the Planning Board for an Approval Not Required to subdivide the land into four lots.

Doubrava said he wasn’t sure if clearing took place within the wetlands line, but he was confident the riverfront zone was disturbed.

The commission said the Enforcement Order will require the property owner to file a Notice of Intent after the fact, and Natural Heritage would be forwarded a copy of the order.

Another possible wetlands violation at 308 Converse Road was determined not to be a violation within the wetlands, but one could be possible at 2 Washburn Park Road. Doubrava suggested the new owners of the horse farm file a Request for Determination for grading and fill already begun in the front pasture, and the owners must submit an engineer’s report before the commission can issue a Certificate of Compliance the new owners had requested for past work.

In other matters, the commission approved a three-year extension for the turtle garden at The Cove, filed by Debra Ewing.

Although the extension for ongoing work was granted, Doubrava expressed he could not support any future expansion of the “salt meadow” area that is mowed to enhance the turtle habitat restoration project, which Ewing had expressed an interest in doing during past meetings.

“I’m not in favor of expanding the mowed areas, given that they had a hard time living within the agreed-to mowed area this past year,” Doubrava said.

Last year, The Cove’s hired landscaper over-mowed the area, crossing marked barriers that were meant to distinguish the boundary of the area approved for mowing.

“And also, I’ve yet to be convinced that the mowing is actually doing anything positive for the box turtles,” continued Doubrava, “so I’m all right with extending it … but I’d like to see more data that, yes, we’re helping the box turtles by doing the mowing and have justified expanding the mowed area.”

Also during the meeting, the commission accepted the withdrawal of Great Hill’s Notice of Intent for underground culvert pipe repair and phragmites control. Continued from February 28, the scope of the project had become more complex than the applicant expected, so Cathy Stone, on behalf of Great Hill, withdrew the NOI and will reassess a future plan for pipe repair, wetlands flushing, and phragmites control.

The commission approved a Notice of Intent for Emmanuel DaCosta to install an in-ground swimming pool at 163 Cross Neck Road, and they also rendered a Negative 2 and 3 determination (no NOI required) for John and Maria Hartwell’s Request for Determination to upgrade a failed septic system with a conforming Title 5 system at 63 East Avenue.

The next meeting of the Marion Conservation Commission is scheduled for April 11 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House.

Marion Conservation Commission

By Jean Perry

 

ORR Runners Show True ‘GRIT’

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They start off in the afternoon in a large group, leaving the high school campus and patiently waiting at the updated crosswalk for cars to stop and allow them to pass. The colorful group, clad in a rainbow of athletic gear, makes its way across Route 6 and heads down into the adjacent neighborhood for the beginning of their routine trek.

This increasingly familiar sight, of course, is the Southeast GRIT Team. GRIT, which stands for “Growing while Running and Inspiring Together,” is a group of training long-distance runners with members from the student, teacher, staff, and parent ORRHS communities. ORRHS science teacher Sheryl Briggs is one of the team’s mentors.

“We are a running program that trains students to run the Providence Marathon (or in some cases, the half marathon),” Briggs explained. “We meet two to three times during the week and on Saturday for our long run. Generally, we run 4.5 to five miles on Tuesdays and Thursdays and cross-training on Wednesdays. We began training back in October, and this past weekend we completed our twenty-mile long run. We have several returners and many new runners this year with some runners joining to train during the off-season for their specific sport. We are very accommodating to students needs.”

Senior Alice Bednarczyk said, “I had originally joined because I needed a way to fulfill my upperclassmen gym requirement, but then I found it was a really good way to get into running and to train yourself to exercise if you are unused to it.” Bednarczyk added, “I think a program that teaches kids how to be comfortable as they exercise (like GRIT) is something every school needs to have.… It’s a way for people who want to run – but don’t know how to start – to actually start running.”

Hannah Powers said she likes the feeling of accomplishment the most – and of course, the team shirts and the medals.

“It encourages kids to exercise but also to discover their limits aren’t as close as they seem,” said Powers.

GRIT embarked on a milestone 20-mile run last Saturday, in overall preparation for the end-of-year marathon that runners do in May. The last official road race the group was a part of was the New Bedford Half Marathon in mid-March, where 17 students and 15 adult mentors of GRIT completed the race.

One of the runners who completed it is senior Caitlin Stopka, who is in her first year running as part of GRIT.

“We have done three road races so far: the Fairhaven Turkey Trot (5K), the Frosty Road Race (10.5 miles), and the New Bedford Half Marathon,” said Stopka. “My favorite thing from it all is getting to work with my teachers and friends to see how much we are all capable of accomplishing.”

Stopka is one of the group who herself has an impressive accomplishment under her belt already.

“She is in her first year and yet she ran the challenging New Bedford Half Marathon in two hours on a windy, cold day,” Briggs praised. “Another senior, Georgie Battaglia, has run well over 800 miles with the program and will be completing her third marathon in May. Many of the other returning runners have also bettered their times this year at the various races.”

“Being a good teammate is more than just showing up to practices and doing your part,” said Bednarczyk summing it all up. “It’s about having your group’s backs and cheering each other on whenever possible, and GRIT has helped teach me that.”

ORR Update

By Jo Caynon

Town House Renovation

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To the Editor:

A few facts about the Marion Town House Renovation…

The Town House Building Committee has refined the plan and costs again and again over the past six years. The reconstruction will take the building down to the studs. The projected estimates are all inclusive and there is a generous contingency amount included to cover unanticipated expenses.

The renovation will cost an additional 34 cents per thousand dollars of assessed house value for a 20-year bond. This means that for the median Marion house value of $400,000, the increase in taxes annually would be $137. As compared to what the increase would have been if the new building option was chosen, this is about $36 additional. These figures are from the Town Finance Director. This seems like money worth spending to keep the Town House as an historic centerpiece in the village.

And, there’s nothing wrong with having stairs. Use the elevator if you need to, but stairs are a healthy option to have for employees and residents who want to get some exercise while they work and pay their bills.

It is important that townspeople vote “Yes” for this project to keep Marion’s history and character alive for our residents and our children. I believe it is essential for this renovation to go forward immediately to avoid costs of further delay ($500,000 per year). Support our sense of community and of place by helping to maintain our historic Marion Town House.

Dana Anderson, Marion

 

The views expressed in the “Letters to the Editor” column are not necessarily those of The Wanderer, its staff or advertisers. The Wanderer will gladly accept any and all correspondence relating to timely and pertinent issues in the great Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester area, provided they include the author’s name, address and phone number for verification. We cannot publish anonymous, unsigned or unconfirmed submissions. The Wanderer reserves the right to edit, condense and otherwise alter submissions for purposes of clarity and/or spacing considerations. The Wanderer may choose to not run letters that thank businesses, and The Wanderer has the right to edit letters to omit business names. The Wanderer also reserves the right to deny publication of any submitted correspondence.

April Book Sale at Mattapoisett Public Library

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Mark your calendar. The Friends Spring Book Sale is just around the corner. The Friends of the Mattapoisett Library will be holding their Second Saturday Monthly Book Sale on April 14from 10:00 am until 1:00 pm, downstairs at the library, 7 Barstow Street. Stop in to browse our great selection and buy a “Bag of Books” for $15. This is a great way to stock up on books for the summer.

The Friends wish to thank the many donors who keep the library supplied with quality book donations. Book sale proceeds enable the Friends to sponsor many of the special programs offered at the library and to make special purchases of books, museum passes, equipment, etc. Book donations are accepted at the library circulation desk during regular library hours.

The Friends of the Library is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit group of volunteers created to support the library. The Friends always seek adult volunteers to help with setup and during the sale, as well as help with various library events through the year. To become a member of the Friends of the Mattapoisett Library, inquire at the book sale or look for our membership forms located at the library circulation desk.

Tri-Town. We Challenge You.

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Join the SouthCoast EcoChallenge Team. The Fairhaven Sustainability Committee invites its Tri-Town (Mattapoisett, Marion, Rochester) friends and neighbors, young and old, near and far to join Team Southcoast for the Project Drawdown EcoChallenge – a fun and social way to learn about and take action on any of 100 scientifically researched climate solutions.

From April 4-25, individuals and teams from around the world will take part in simple daily activities to reduce their carbon footprints and delve into the world’s most substantive solutions to global warming. At the end of the Challenge, the teams with the most points will win great prizes, including copies of the book Drawdownand a one-hour video session with Paul Hawken, the Executive Director of Project Drawdown.

“It’s a great project.” said Anne O’Brien, Team Fairhaven Captain. “The website is full of wonderful and innovative ways we can protect our environment. Even if you are low on time and energy, you can tailor your commitment to reflect your lifestyle. There’s something for everyone.” Deirdre Healy, team member and chair of the Fairhaven Sustainability Committee, added, “It’s organized into seven categories ranging from food to transportation. There is a challenge for everyone, so I think we can win.”

Project Drawdown is a nonprofit organization and coalition of scholars, scientists, entrepreneurs, and advocates from across the globe that is mapping, measuring, modeling, and communicating about a collective array of substantive solutions to global warming, with the goal of reaching climate stability.

In the pursuit of sharing its findings widely, the organization has released the book Drawdown, the first of many projects to widely disseminate this information. Project Drawdown has created a broad coalition of leading climate voices who are helping to spread the message and integrate the goal of drawdown into their own work. The organization will continue to update and expand the scope of its research, and publish and disseminate new content through online platforms and future publications.

According to Paul Hawken, “All of life is comprised of self-organizing systems and the Drawdown EcoChallenge is exactly that – people coming together to share, learn, support, imagine, and innovate for a better world. We are honored to be a part of this significant and brilliant initiative.”

For more information, go to www.drawdown.org/ecochallenge then search for Team SouthCoast or find us on Fairhaven Sustainability Committee Facebook page.