The Machacam Club will meet on Wednesday June 5. Social time begins at 5 pm and dinner is served at 6 pm. Our speaker will begin at 6:45. The Club will not meet in July and August, and we encourage all to attend the June meeting to wish each other an enjoyable summer. Chef Colby is preparing his famous meat loaf dinner. Callers, please transmit your numbers by Monday evening. All are welcome! Email cwmccullough@comcast.net with questions.
Like crocuses, election season has passed, not to reappear for year. Like those blooms, participation in town government is left to the winners, and the rest of us can go back to ignoring all things political, at least on the local level. Which, in my humble opinion, may be a good thing.
The town is back to doing the people’s business as usual. All went without a hitch, the way true democracy is supposed to work. Nobody stole the election, though it was reported that some candidate’s signs were purloined.
One vision of a better town suggested by one candidate in their literature (I forget who, there were so many “new” ideas) has caught my attention. How about we monetize our harbor and beaches?
Generating new revenue using our fine waterfront and beaches is an idea whose time has come. Why didn’t I think of that? And, I have a few suggestions to do just that. (Surprised?)
Our fine town is known for its history of building whaling ships. After all, we (well our forefathers) built thousands of them that helped New Bedford light the world. Let’s take a page from Boston, Plymouth and Mystic, Connecticut. Boston has Old Ironsides, Plymouth has the Mayflower replica and Mystic has the Charles W. Morgan. No doubt, they generate tons of money by bringing in tourists to their harbors.
Why can’t we? A full-size replica of the Wanderer would be just the ticket to put us on the map and provide a steady revenue stream. Say 30 bucks a ticket plus a parking fee at the Bike Trail lot (the walk to the harbor is free) would be a nice, affordable afternoon exploring history on a real, fake whaling ship.
Of course, there might be a small problem of finding enough ship builders to complete the project. Craftsmen of that type are few and far between, plus they wouldn’t come cheap. But, that’s a small detail we can take care of later.
In the meantime, I have one or two other revenue builders. We could rent one of those duck boats they cart tourists around in Boston to give tours of our town. The arch bridge would certainly be a popular attraction and, of course, Salty our giant seahorse. Too bad Dunseith Gift Shop isn’t still there, Mr. Dunseith would clean up.
After its tour of our land-based sights, the duck boat could sail over to Ned’s Point Light, stopping so the tourists could enjoy a picnic lunch … at a small charge of course. Returning to the sea, the driver would point out the very spot where a 16-year-old boy from out of town was bitten by a shark in 1936. Well, maybe that would not be a good thing to tell tourists.
Heading back to the harbor, the driver would be sure to point out the exact spot where the creator of Jeopardy, Merv Griffin, had his yacht moored some years ago and where the New York Yacht Club used to visit. Tourists wouldn’t want to miss that.
Promoting these attractions couldn’t be too difficult. Just recently, a Boston TV station did a nice piece on our village. I know for a fact that it attracted some curious visitors. Two days after the piece aired, my bride and I were walking along Water Street when a car stopped, and a couple inquired if we lived in town.
“Yes”, we said proudly. “Well, where is the center of the town?” they asked. “You’re in it,” we offered. Not 10 steps later another car stopped. “Do you live here?” “Yes,” we said. “So, where’s the town?” they asked. They were both from far away. So, there you go, people are clamoring to visit our village.
I do like a whaling ship docked at our wharf. Don’t you?
Mattapoisett resident Dick Morgado is an artist and happily retired writer. His newspaper columns appeared for many years in daily newspapers around Boston.
Thoughts on…
By Dick Morgado
In a meeting room crowded with concerned residents, Rochester’s Zoning Board of Appeals on May 23 approved the Special Permit for Marion resident Mark Briggs’ plan to construct two buildings to store and repair collectible automobiles, trucks and other motor vehicles on New Bedford Road.
The plan will now be scrutinized for approval by Rochester’s Planning Board and the town’s Historic District Commission. It is the same project the three boards met jointly to review on May 15. The Planning Board’s next hearing of the petition will be June 4.
Briggs attorney Karla Chaffee began the May 23 public hearing by noting the plan for Briggs’ Hobby Barn is under an existing Special Permit issued by the ZBA last year but needs a new one because the site plan has changed.
Surprisingly, no one in the crowded room volunteered to speak when ZBA Chairman David Arancio invited public comment. Board members then debated the conditions that should accompany the permit and ended up with the following: no outside storage of automobiles; no automobile revving or other noise between 8:00 pm and 8:00 am, limited to collectible car storage and limited auto sales by appointment only, no signage; no livestock storage; no residential use, no heavy body work or use of a spray-painting booth. Any change of use must come before the board for approval and any change of ownership outside of the LLC charter will require review by the board and a new public hearing may be required.
The vote to approve the Special Permit with these conditions was unanimous.
Next, also to a packed room of residents, the ZBA overturned a Notice of Violation and Cease Order for the use of an office and activities not allowed in a Residential/Agricultural District that had been filed by Building Commissioner Paul Boucher against Eastover Farm at 131 Hiller Road.
Boucher referred to a 1996 Use Variance Permit the farm received that allowed “agricultural business and office use.” He said that use does not include their new plans for three new office tenants. “It’s not an agricultural use,” he said to the board. “They just need to have it done right. They need relief from you to do these other activities.”
Owner-operator Erik Hedblom defended the new plan as categorically not a change of use. He said the building has had a Use Variance Permit for office use for decades. The current plan, he explained, is a wellness center occupying three offices, one for himself, one for a baby photographer, Jessica Lawson and the other for a holistic skin care specialist, Erika Ingalls, all of them “for customer consultation only.”
Boucher noted a recent social-media post from the skin-care business announced that a “renovation was under way.” “What kind of renovation?” he asked. “No building permits have been filed.”
Hedblom said the renovation was merely to remove carpeting and paint the walls.
Defenders of the property’s office use noted much of the farm is owned by the town to preserve as open space. The Hiller family that has owned the farm since 1910 has just been trying to “keep the farm going,” family member Deb Clark said. “Keep some money coming in. I don’t see any of these businesses as offensive to the public.”
Clark noted the family has lost money because of the Cease and Desist. “We weren’t aware we were not following the (permit) process,” she said.
Board members, at first, wrestled with what action to take, noting that they were only allowed to approve or overturn the building commissioner’s Cease and Desist order. They could not add “conditions” as they could with a special permit.
Richard Cutler said the family should have also filed a variance or special permit application at the same time it appealed the Cease and Desist. “I don’t have enough information,” Cutler said. “We can’t grant a permit tonight.”
Arancio said he saw no change of use between the 1996 permit and today, and there appears to be no time limit on Use Variance permits.
As the board approved overturning the building commissioner’s order, Arancio strongly advised Hedblom to apply for a Use Variance Special Permit to avoid a future problem. Hedblom agreed to do so.
In other action, Arancio announced a vacancy on the zoning board due to the recent retirement of Thomas Flynn. The panel delayed filling the seat with an associate member until next meeting because only one of its two associates were present on May 23. The board then approved petitioning the Select Board to issue a Citation to Flynn, publicly recognizing his service to the town.
Board administrative assistant Andreia Lacerda announced there will be no June 13 meeting as no petitions have been scheduled.
Rochester Zoning Board of Appeals
By Michael J. DeCicco
Buzzards Bay Area Habitat for Humanity (BBAHFH) will hold a dedication ceremony for two families on June 8, at 11:00 am at 629 Westport. The public is invited to attend.
During the ceremony, the families will be presented with keys to their new homes, while the nonprofit gives thanks to all the volunteers, subcontractors and donors that helped make the build happen. The homes were designed by Saltonstall Architects as a farmhouse-style, 3-bedroom, 2 bath, 2-unit duplex, built with Passive House strategies, one of the highest home energy efficiency ways to build. At the close of the dedication, attendees may take a walkthrough of one of the homes. The new homeowners are two local women that will be moving in with their families. As part of Habitat’s “sweat equity” requirement, each family contributed over 300 hours building their own home. The homes were built in partnership with the Westport Housing Trust and CPC fund.
Donations of money and materials, as well as volunteer labor, enable Buzzards Bay Area Habitat for Humanity to build homes for those in need in our area. The completed homes are sold to qualified families at an affordable price with a below-market interest loan. For more information, to make a donation, or to volunteer, please visit www.BuzzardsBayHabitat.org or call 508-758-4517.
The Buzzards Bay Area Habitat for Humanity is currently seeking donated land or low-cost land options for their next building site. According to BBAHFH Executive Director Christine Lacourse, “We are currently looking for land suitable to build a house or duplex. Ideally, the land will be donated to BBAHFH by an individual, group or even a town or city entity. We may also build on city lots and rehab existing homes as well.” Since Habitat for Humanity is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, land donations are tax deductible per IRS code.
On May 21, the Mattapoisett Museum’s Education Committee and Curator Connor E. Gaudet were delighted to present “Women’s Day” to the fifth graders of Old Hammondtown Elementary School. The Museum and OHS teachers Katherine Trudell, Amy Casi and Stacy Barrows collaborated to develop a program of workshops to dovetail with their unit of study on women’s rights.
The morning began with a presentation, “Women Leaders,” from Select Board Chairman Jodi Bauer and Lois Ennis, Mattapoisett’s town clerk from 1966 to 2000. Both explained what the job entailed and gave examples of things they did.
Bauer explained how she listens to citizens and tries to handle their concerns to the best of her capabilities. She talked about opening the Mattapoisett Bike Path, the creation of a parking lot at the Hammond quarry, and the repaving of the basketball courts at Center School.
Ennis explained the process of voting to students, using documents to illustrate it. She talked about her years as the president of the Massachusetts Town Clerks Association and how she facilitated the town’s transition from paper records to computers.
Connor Gaudet, Katherine Gaudet and Robbin Smith presented the workshop, “How to Interpret Artifacts.” Using PowerPoint, Gaudet explained primary and secondary resources, and how to evaluate them using a four-step process: Observation, Reflection, Questioning and Further Investigation. Using a World War I Navy uniform from the museum’s collections, Gaudet modeled how to take notes using the four-step process.
Then groups of four students were given an artifact related to women’s rights to explore and evaluate through the process. Students eagerly jumped at the chance. After washing hands and hearing how to handle antique artifacts, they engaged in being historical detectives themselves!
One group had a photo from the 1890s of three people riding bikes on Church Street in Mattapoisett, one of whom was a woman wearing pants. An astute student inferred, “she is taking a stand by wearing pants and riding a bike to say she can do it like any man can.”
There was a bathing suit designed by Annette Kellerman, who was once arrested wearing one of her bathing suits that was deemed scandalous because it showed too much skin!
Another group of students held a commemorative rubber stamp created by Mary Ransom, the first female postmaster of Mattapoisett.
Finally, a group had the List of Mattapoisett Women Voters from 1920, the first year women were able to vote. After taking notes on their artifacts, students shared what they had learned with the class, and Connor Gaudet provided additional information where needed.
Concurrent with this group, Gail Roberts, Carole Clifford and Pauline Hamel presented “Mattapoisett’s Important Historical Women” to another fifth-grade class.Roberts and Clifford engaged students with anecdotes about Mary Ransom, Florence Eastman, Huybertie Hamlin, Cecil Clark Davis, and Elizabeth Barstow Stoddard, who all championed women’s rights through their work, art, nursing, writing or social engagement.
Then students were handed a short biography of creation of a parking lot near Hammond Quarry, each woman telling “the rest of her story.” After reading through it and highlighting important facts, students shared what they had learned and answered the questions, “Why was this Mattapoisett woman important to history? and “What part did she play in championing women’s rights?”
At the end of a productive day with these curious, avid learners and student historians, the Mattapoisett Museum looks forward to their visit to the museum on Thursday, May 30, to learn more about Mattapoisett history from Curator Connor E. Gaudet and complete the 5th Grade Treasure Hunt.
Carole Clifford and Jenn McIntyre will give the students a walking tour of the Mattapoisett Village to share points of interest with them to enrich their understanding of Mattapoisett’s history and storied existence.
Editor’s note: Katherine Gaudet, M.Sp.Ed., is an educational consultant and the mother of Mattapoisett Museum Curator Connor E. Gaudet. It is believed that this foray by the Mattapoisett Museum into local public education is a first.
Mattapoisett Museum
By Katherine Gaudet, M.Sp.Ed.
The first impression we got upon entering the Marion Art Center on May 24 was all the color pouring out of paintings done by Robert Abele and Mary Moquin, whose works now grace the gallery walls through the month of June.
These works, nearly all of dwellings, cottages and tenements, are given over to the color wheel. The two featured artists use color in different painting styles, but for each color is a main ingredient that speaks to the viewer.
Looking at a tenement painted by Abele caused one to think of a layer cake, heavily frosted and nearly dripping with lusciousness. Abele said that he had been advised by professors to give his work time, that a theme would emerge in its own good time. Did it ever!
The body of work now on display is an open, colorful love story with tenement buildings that take center stage in Abele’s paintings. This artist has masterfully softened edges and employed bright imaginative colors that produce a joyful feeling.
When asked, Abele said that some of the dwelling units are close to true-life depictions, while others have either been a work of imagination or transformed.
We found ourselves on the outside of tenement buildings wanting to look in. The charm of Victorian structures coupled with fanciful colors gives these works depth and beauty, as well as surprise and a desire to see more. In his 2018 thesis, an inquiry into domestic spaces, Abele wrote: “A distillation of time is compounded in my tightly composed, brightly colored and lushly painted domestic interiors.” We thought that perfectly explained exteriors as well.
Moquin’s use of color takes a different approach.
“I use color to set the mood or to accentuate an angle,” she said. “I’m endlessly fascinated by angles.”
Moquin said that her use of color is intentional and that some of her works on exhibit are “slightly” abstracted. What we saw was the use of color and angular images that evoked a range of emotions. While human images were absent, we did not get a sense of loneliness. Instead, we felt we had been invited to attend an event, but we had gotten there early before the hubbub created by noisy humans.
These paintings are restful and powerful at the same time. “I let the shapes tell the story,” she said.
From Moquin’s website, we found her artist’s statement that contained a few sentences that made her artistic point-of-view succinct.
“For several years I have focused on two motifs that serve as my metaphors to explore these questions. One example from nature – the tree, another man made – the house. Both of these endure the hostility of the ever-changing environment. Both serve as shelter. Both are equipped with different methods of coping and both ultimately decay. They bear witness to time’s constant wearing away on any notion of permanence, while I watch.”
Moquin’s structures are angular. Triangle shadows, rectangle roofs, square exterior walls sometimes abstracted by a lack of windows, spaces that have been replaced by color blocks and whose geometry play off each other. And play they do with precision and with color that completes the story.
This exhibit is a master class. It elaborates on a theme, dwellings, and takes the viewer right up to the edge of peaking into an open window. A must-see exhibition.
Marion Art Center
By Marilou Newell
Join Elke Pierrie for morning yoga on the library lawn, Tuesday mornings 9:30-10:30 starting June 11. The perfect way to start your summer days.
The summer is almost here. Celebrate at our Summer Kick-off Block Party, Saturday June 15 from 11 to 2. Enjoy a 60-foot inflatable obstacle course, free ice cream, lawn games and face painting and crafts from the Marion Natural History Museum. Sign up for our kids’ summer reading program and check out events for all ages all summer long.
Meet Sara Shukla, author of Pink Whales, Thursday, June 27 at 6:30 pm, at The Marion Art Center. Pink Whales has been lauded by reviews as “A satisfying romp through a New England enclave that’s not nearly as idyllic as it seems.” Limited signed copies will be available at this event.
For more information on the Elizabeth Taber Library, visit us at www.ElizabethTaberLibrary.org or call us at 508-748-1252.
When I was teaching 5th grade, it always bothered me when the request to take out history books brought more groans than grins. By the time I was teaching 3rd grade, and the history of Massachusetts was part of that grade’s curriculum, I came up with a solution to end the groans. I didn’t teach the history of Massachusetts. Instead, I told its story as exactly that- a story, because that is what history is. On Wednesday, May 15 at the Rochester Historical Museum, history came to life.
The new exhibit which will premier during our 2-day Historic Fair with a Colonial Flair June 22 & 23 from 10-3 shows how Rochester residents entertained themselves for the last 337 yrs., so the May performance of the Woodchoppers’ Tribute Band was a perfect fit.
The original Woodchoppers was a musical group put together in the 50’s by Rev. Louis Hastings who needed an orchestra for his planned block party. The musicians who stepped up were Cal Daggett, Aurthur Lionberger, Jeannette Pajunen and Olive Winslow. They were such a success that they entertained throughout the area for about 45 years.
Our Tribute Band pictured here was made up from left to right Barbara Daggett, Ken Daggett, Sheila Perry and Tom Perry. Ken is the son of Cal Daggett, Sheila and Barbara are the daughters of Jeannette Pajunen, and Tom Perry (Sheila’s husband) was Jeannette’s favorite son-in-law.
Barbara played her mother’s accordion. Olive Winslow’s fiddle, loaned by her granddaughter, Sheila Daniels, was on display. We want to thank all of the musicians for a night of music that evoked memories for the audience, some because they remembered the original group and others because of the music itself.
We also heard stories. We know Jeannette played the accordion because of the “Lawrence Welk Show” and that she thought him “wunnerful, wunnerful”. Ken also told a Jeannette story. He joined the group in later years after his father’s death, and Jeannette would play the accordion faster and faster to see if he could keep up.
We want to thank all those who attended (we had a full house) for their enthusiasm and generous donations to our steeple fund. There’s already talk of an encore performance next year with other songs from the Woodchoppers’ play list.
A special thanks to Sheila who was the prime mover behind the concert happening and to Tom. They always step up to help our historical society and to fill the museum, nee church with music and singing.
We hope to have an equally strong turn out on June 22 & 23 at our fair. Attendees will have a chance to learn about and participate in Rochester colonial life. Anyone learning to march to drum commands like a 1700’s patriot will earn colonial money to spend at our store. Knot tying and writing with a quill pen as well as a scavenger hunt, chances to make your own paper dolls and to play games popular in the 16,17,18 and 19th centuries will be available. Music, bake sale and a treasure hunt using a compass will also take place.
We’re hoping to see lots of kids as well as adults. We will be announcing the winners of the Rochester Historical Commission sponsored essay contest presented to Rochester Memorial students at noon on the 22nd. This is all brought to you through the financial support of the Massachusetts Cultural Council and the Massachusetts legislators who support funding by the Council. Without this kind of help it would be almost impossible for a small, member-supported organization nonprofit like ours to offer this look back at Rochester’s past in a fun and exciting way.
Torsten Charles Brickley of Mattapoisett, a freshman majoring in mechanical engineering, was named to the Dean’s List for the Spring 2024 semester at Clarkson University.
Adam Sylvia, from Rochester, was one of 232 Central College students who were celebrated during Commencement 2024 on Saturday, May 11, in the Ron and Joyce Schipper Stadium, in Pella, Iowa.
Elizabeth Janes of Marion was named to the Dean’s List at Lehigh University in the Spring 2024 semester.
Holy Cross celebrated 751 Bachelor of Arts degree recipients at its 178th Commencement held in person on Friday, May 24 at the DCU Center in Worcester. The following local students earned degrees: Benjamin Castle, of Marion, Cum Laude; Alanna Fitzpatrick, of Marion; Anne Le Gassick, of Mattapoisett, Cum Laude; Danielle Nutter, of Mattapoisett, Magna Cum Laude; Hannah Strom, of Marion.
Kate Marsden of Marion was awarded a BA in Theatre Arts degree during Salve Regina University’s 74th commencement.
Michael M. Ward, age 65, of Mattapoisett, MA, passed away on Wednesday May 29, 2024.
Mike’s childhood was spent in Brockton, MA and later in Fall River, MA. He was the definition of a lifelong learner. Mike earned his Bachelor’s degree at Rhode Island College where he met his wife Paula. He went on to earn a Master’s degree in Biology from Northeastern University and later a Master’s degree in Education Administration at Providence College. He spent his career in education teaching math and eventually education administration.
Mike could never sit still, from running marathons in his younger years, to walks and bike rides as he got older. He enjoyed many summers on his boat in Mattapoisett and winters in Bluffton, South Carolina. His passion was in building things from his houses, to furniture, and general tinkering around. He loved talking sports and finance and playing golf. He truly loved sitting on the porch with his family.
He is survived by his wife Paula, daughter Kristen Ward of Easton MA, daughter Sam Ward of Fairhaven MA, and mother Claire Ward of Mattapoisett MA. He is predeceased by his father David L. Ward.
His memorial visitation will be held on Wednesday June 5th from 3-6 pm at the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd., Route 6, Mattapoisett. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the National Organization for Rare Disorders, either by mail to NORD, Inc. – Donations, Dept. 5930, P.O. Box 4110, Woburn, MA 01888, or online at https://rarediseases.org/donate-nord/. For online condolence book, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.
