Thank You

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To the Editor;

            The family of Wesley Bowman would like to thank everyone who reached out to us during this very difficult time. It has been comforting to know that our dad was loved by so many. The show of support at his service, including the Highway Department trucks he loved so much, was wonderful. A very special thank you to the Mattapoisett Police and EMS, who responded so quickly and with such compassion.

            With Gratitude,

The Family of Wesley Bowman

                  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.

New Septic Regulation Challenged

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The Marion Board of Health is digesting a problematic interpretation of its septic regulations, as reported during the board’s Tuesday Zoom meeting by Health Agent Ana Wimmer.

            After hearing from design engineer Dave Davignon of Schneider, Davignon and Leone Inc., Wimmer brought to the board’s attention a potential discrepancy regarding the town’s requirements for the size of a septic tank versus its own sanitation code.

            She asked the board about the possibility of making a language tweak to the new septic regulation that requires denitrification technology in any new installation.

            “Maybe there’s a better way to do both things, and then you have (the basis for) a variance. … You might not have a case where it’s (a denitrification) system,” said member Dot Brown, who spearheaded the new requirement that was voted into the town’s regulations in 2020.

            Board of Health Chairman Dr. Ed Hoffer did not believe that Davignon’s system was clearly presented. “It is less than what I would consider to be a fully fleshed-out request,” he said, agreeing with Brown’s response.

            Brown said that Davignon’s case was based on an effort to avoid any additional landscaping. “We do have the offer to go to (Environmental Specialist and Public Health Sanitarian) George Heufelder at Barnstable County. … I think that’s the place to start,” said Brown. “That technology’s going to keep changing. … We need some outside expertise, and all of that cannot come from the people representing the clients.”

            Brown suggests peer review from outside the area.

            “It might be smart to change the hard-and-fast, 2,000-gallon-tank requirement to something matching our newer requirements,” suggested Wimmer, noting that Davignon’s situation led to the revelation that Marion’s sanitary code has not been updated since 2009.

            Hoffer acknowledged that some systems may require a smaller tank and, if they’re designed to work with a smaller tank, maybe the regulation ought to reflect that. As for Davignon’s specific request regarding a 1,500-gallon tank, Hoffer suggested a third-party opinion before any official response is made.

            Wimmer told the board that she will send out final Well Regulations on Wednesday, November 17, for the board’s review.

            Wimmer’s visit to 520 Front Street on November 9 revealed there is no working pump in the basement. With a broken window at the address, she reported “two and a half feet of standing water in the basement with a sheen on it.”

            The house, bearing a red-colored “X,” has been condemned and will be demolished in the spring. Because there are no plans to remediate, the property no longer falls under Chapter 2.

            Despite the property being within 500 feet of a public drinking-water supply making it a “very urgent” matter, Wimmer told the board, “It’s being handled now and ended up being a lot smoother than what we anticipated.”

            Following a review draft of the new Dumpster Regulations, the Board of Health is closing in on a final version that can go to a public hearing.

            Lingering issues discussed included the limit of on a number of residential units (three or four) that would trigger the requirement of a dumpster on site.

            “There’s no (state) requirement for any residential manager to provide … a dumpster, but starting at three or more dwelling units, the owner is responsible for managing the waste at the property,” explained Wimmer, who cautioned that too strict a code could result in a dumpster filling so slowly that the garbage rots.

            Trash is picked up on a weekly basis in Marion and recycling picked up every two weeks.

            Questioned by a liquor store owner on the merit of a food permit (and associated fee) where only prepackaged food is sold, the board agreed that a food permit is not appropriate or fair, especially since they are already paying for a license to sell alcohol and do not require food inspections as would a restaurant. Hoffer suggested though, that liquor store owners should sign an affidavit stating they will not sell open food.

            While COVID-19 numbers are rising across Massachusetts, the Town of Marion is faring better, according to Public Health Director/Nurse Lori Desmarais in her report to the board.

            Of Marion’s 583 total cases since the pandemic began in March 2020, there are currently eight active cases. Although there were 71 documented cases in October, there had only been 15 halfway through November.

            There is a complete absence of age concentration with two cases under age 12, three among ages 20-29, three among ages 30-49, two among ages 50-64, four among ages 65-75, and one over age 75.

            As of November 11, Sippican School had no one in its “test and stay” program, two were in quarantine, and none had tested positive. Sippican has had 27 cases since the start of the 2021-22 school year.

            At Old Rochester Regional High School, four were in the “test and stay” program, one was in quarantine, and two had tested positive. The high school has had 10 cases since the start of the 2021-22 school year.

            At ORR Junior High, none were in the “test and stay” program, none in quarantine, and no one had tested positive. The junior high has had nine cases since the start of the 2021-22 school year.

            Tabor Academy had no positive tests and six total cases in 2021-22; the prep school is still conducting weekly testing among 100 random personnel on Thursdays.

            Desmarais reported on a successful COVID-19 booster clinic that enlisted the assistance of UMass Dartmouth nursing students to distribute 160 doses on November 5. The remaining 40 doses (of the 200 received) will be distributed on Wednesday, November 17, between 9:00 am and 11:00 am, again with the assistance of UMD nursing students.

            There are no future COVID-19 vaccination clinics scheduled at the present time. Desmarais said the plan is to order more vaccine, gather information on town residents and then determine a course of action.

            Unlike the Town of Rochester, which will hold COVID-19 vaccination clinics for children on November 29 and 30 and December 16, Marion has not scheduled a children’s COVID-19 clinic and has received no requests according to Desmarais.

            “People trust the pediatrician,” said Hoffer, a practicing physician. “The problem here is everyone is on the fence … especially with their kids.”

            Flu vaccines are being offered on Wednesday, November 17, at the Cushing Community Center. Desmarais said that, while there are only 10 high-dose vaccines remaining, the town has an ample amount of regular vaccine.

            In December, the town will conduct its first in a series of monthly blood-pressure clinics on Thursdays from 10:00 am to 11:00 am at Little Neck Village.

            The next meeting of the Marion Board of Health is scheduled for Tuesday, December 7, at 4:00 pm.

Marion Board of Health

By Mick Colageo

From the Files of the Rochester Historical Society

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I’ve read this story in one of the Museum’s scrapbooks several times and decided it was too good not to share. It’s a story involving  !st Lieutenant Charles L. “Bucky” Cobb of Front St. in Marion. In WW II he served in the Pacific Theater flying P38 fighter planes. Cobb was stationed in New Guinea and part of a group of flyers known as “Head Hunter Squadron”. He was also a member of “Club 80” and over the door was sign that read, “Through these portals pass the hottest flyers in the world”.

            While Lt. Cobb is definitely a hero with many medals including a Distinguished Flying Cross for Extraordinary Achievement, he is not the hero of this particular story. Flying out of their base, Cobb and  the men of his squadron would attack Japanese airdromes and would often encounter Japanese fighters. The first time Cobb was shot down, his plane nearly disintegrated around him but he was near his own airdrome and was able to belly land his plane and quickly jump out safely and return to base.

            On August 31, 1942 over Lae, New Guinea, he was not as lucky. Strafed, swarmed and chased by enemy planes, he was forced to bail out. Without any time to grab his medical kit, he jumped, losing his boots, and landed in a tree. Other fliers drove off the Japanese planes, but he was left alone in the jungle and eventually he was put on the War Dept. list of those missing in action.

            Deep in the jungle, Cobb was unable to find a trail that would take him back to his airdrome ( a lucky break as he was apt to have been ambushed on that trail ). He saw the sun rise and fall 5 times as he plunged through the jungle seeking a route to his squadron. Eventually overcome with exhaustion, he fell asleep against a log until he was awakened by a burning pain in his legs which were covered in leeches. It was then that he noticed a small man wearing many charms around his neck and with a painted chest. He was standing nearby and pointing a spear at him.

            Cobb yelled at the top of his lungs, “Hi, you” and as the frightened man retreated he also yelled, ” taubada (whiteman), kai-kai (water) and ranu (food). He waited and watched until seeing the little man ( who he realized was one of New Guinea’s natives known as Pigmies) return, he threw down his gun. The man came forward and began to care for him. He made a bed of broad leaves for Cobb to lie upon and then using a sharp stick, scraped the leeches from his legs. He then fetched water in a bamboo stick and both sugar cane  and a few tiny strawberry tomatoes. Then he led him to a village of thatched huts where he saw about 25 people. However his rescuer gave a loud whistle and within a few minutes 200 men arrived.

            Seeing that the Lieutenant was having difficulty walking and was without boots, a plan was made to carry him back to his base. As the newspaper headline for this story proclaimed “Pigmies carried him 26 days in jungle, saved life, returned Marion flyer says”. For 26 days, they carried him over 150 miles before putting him down on a grassy area from which he was able to walk into his camp.

            His rescuers were rewarded with some supplies from the squad’s meager food and medicine stores and also with shiny brass medals that hung on red, white and blue cords and which read “For Services Rendered the United States of America. Then the heroes of this story melted back into the jungle to return to their village deep in the interior.

By Connie Eshbach

Upper Cape Tech Craft Fair

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Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School will hold their 27th annual American Made Professional Arts and Craft Fair on Saturday, November 20 and Sunday, November 21, from 10:00 am to 3:30 pm each day. The Craft Fair is sponsored by Upper Cape Tech’s Parent Teacher Organization, which funds student activities, scholarships, and other school events. For additional information, please call 508-759-7711, ext. 117.

Southcoast Medical Community

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To the Editor;

            I and also current, former and retired members of the Southcoast medical community, are writing to implore the Southcoast Board of Trustees to remove Keith Hovan from the role of CEO and President of Southcoast Hospitals. Hovan’s actions at his residence on November 6, 2021 demonstrate that he is unfit to lead a major healthcare system. As healthcare practitioners, we took an oath to take care of our patients and ensure the overall well-being of our community.  Mr. Hovan’s domestic abuse, coupled with his illegal firearm violations, prove him to be a detriment to our community. Those Trustees who follow LouCabral, the Chair of the Board of Trustees who supports Keith Hovan, thus trivializing his conduct, should realize they are actually condoning his actions!  Our healthcare community must have ZERO TOLERANCE for abuse of any kind. Mr. Hovan’s admitted violent physical engagement with a family member is unacceptable. We dedicate our lives to the safety and well-being of our patients and we need a leader who exemplifies a desire to end violence against women and children.  We, hereby, call for the resignation of Keith Hovan as he is a poor representative of all that Southcoast represents. We hope that you will respect and honor our livelihoods in your decision to terminate Keith Hovan and find a inspiring leader to accomplish the mission of the Southcoast tradition.

            Sincerely,

Andrew J. Dadagian, MD

                  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.

Beverly (Rounsevell) Dube

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Beverly (Rounsevell) Dube, 70, of Mattapoisett, died Monday, November 15th, 2021 at home. She was the wife of Dennis Dube.

            Born and raised in Freetown, daughter of the late Robert and Ethel (Crossley) Rounsevell, she lived in Mattapoisett most of her life.

            Beverly enjoyed cooking, shopping, and going out to eat with her family. She loved spending time with her grandchildren.

            Survivors include her husband; her children, Evan Dube and his wife Christy of Marion, and Laura Cohen and her husband Phillip of Hopkinton; 3 siblings; and her grandchildren Alexandra, Madeleine, Charles, Oliver, and Emilia.

            Her funeral services will be private.

            In lieu of flowers please consider a donation in Beverly’s memory to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.

Fall Focus on DPW Funding Plan

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            The Town of Marion plans to dedicate a Select Board meeting in February 2022 to present a funding plan for the proposed new Department of Public Works facility to take to Town Meeting next spring.

            Speaking to the Select Board during its Zoom meeting Tuesday night, Town Administrator Jay McGrail said that the plan would include to hold another Open House in the spring but earlier in the day to get more citizens to see the current facility that McGrail referred to as “dilapidated.”

            A visit to the existing group of circa 1950s structures relocated and assembled along the southeast side of Route 6 on the same property as the water tower was conducted on November 6 as part of a tour that began with a dedication of the newly renovated Town House exterior and its ongoing interior renovation, as attendees heard words from Will Tifft and Frank McNamee of the Sippican Historical Society.

            Residents then drove or rode in a Council on Aging bus to the site of the new Marine Center at Island Wharf for an Open House there, then to tour the current DPW facilities and finally visited the site of the proposed new DPW at Benson Brook.

            “It’s a large ask so we really need to hit the ground running on this,” said McGrail about plans for 2022. He told the Select Board that Finance Director/Town Accountant Judy Mooney has run numbers on scenarios of $2,000,000 debt and $3,000,000 debt over 20 years.

            Town Facilities Manager Shaun Cormier will act as owner’s project manager for the DPW project, saving Marion $120,000.

            While the new Harbormaster’s facility will be a shovel-ready project come spring with some overlap expected, the DPW project is only at a feasibility-study point. McGrail anticipates entering into a contract with an architect next July to prepare for bid with November 2022 as the best-case scenario for a bidding timeline. The project, however, would not be ready to start construction until late winter 2022 or early spring 2023.

            The next steps for the Marine Center projects the completion of design and construction documents from Catalyst Architects in the spring. McGrail said that the town will make two separate, $1,000,000 grant applications to the state’s Seaport Economic Council and must produce $700,000, its 20 percent match for construction funding.

            If all goes well at Spring Town Meeting and with the Seaport Economic Council, construction bidding would occur in the spring of 2023 and would start in the fall of 2023.

            McGrail told the Select Board that 2021 roadway improvements are evident, and the plan had been to have DPW Director Nathaniel Munafo and DPW engineer Meghan Davis make recommendations on remaining Chapter 90 funding, but with limited time before cold weather ends the paving season those decisions have been pushed off to late winter and early spring when the board can decide on projects. West Wareham-based Rochester Bituminous agreed to hold bid prices until the spring.

            Because the bid came in lower than budgeted, the town intends to use existing funding to resume unfinished work in the spring of 2022.

            Projects completed or underway include: overlay on Water Street south to Lewis Street; Holmes Street from Pleasant to Water Street; patch and overlay on Parlowtown Road; mill work and overlay on School Street (which just happened on Tuesday), and mill and overlay pavement repair in the area of 362 Front Street.

            McGrail said there is a push to complete the egress project from Sippican School out to Route 6 by the end of December. McGrail told Waterman that he will follow up on the Hiller Street project.

            McGrail publicly recognized Old Rochester Regional School Committee Chairperson Heather Burke, a Marion resident, for spearheading the effort to unify the tri-towns behind the amended regional school agreement that passed on all three Town Meeting floors.

            Burke “worked tirelessly … for the last three years,” according to McGrail, “educating all of our boards, the (Capital Improvement Planning Committee) …”

            Burke took the floor at both Marion and Mattapoisett town meetings. “It took a lot of hard work on her part, getting (the articles) on the warrants,” said McGrail, who also thanked Superintendent of Schools Mike Nelson. “We’re paid help, but volunteers like you guys and Heather …”

            Select Board member John Waterman called Burke’s effort “incredible. She just stuck with it until it got done.”

            The Select Board voted to send Burke a “Thank You” note for her effort.

            The board’s vote as to whether to have a split tax rate between commercial and residential properties in Marion was originally scheduled to be heard on Tuesday in a scheduled public hearing with Linda Dessert of the Board of Assessors, but that hearing was only opened to continue it to Tuesday, November 23, at 3:00 pm.

            The Town of Marion has never had a split tax rate, according to McGrail.

            The Select Board voted to approve a Christmas and New Year’s holiday schedule that will close town buildings for a half day on Thursday, December 23, and Thursday, December 30, at noon with full-day closures on Friday, December 24 and Friday, December 31. Both Christmas and New Year’s Day fall on Saturday.

            The board voted to approve water/sewer commitments in the amounts of $1,000 (new service) and $647.41 and $736.23 (final readings).

            In reviewing Veterans Day observances held November 11 at Old Landing and featuring speaker James Holmes of the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, McGrail praised the performance of Hannah Moore’s Sippican School Band, calling it “an awesome job.”

            The DPW and Donna Hemphill were thanked for their efforts in the Veterans Day presentation at Old Landing. The event continued with a veterans’ luncheon at the Cushing Community Center, where Jon Henry spoke on the history of Veterans Day.

            The Select Board will hold a brief public meeting on Tuesday, December 14, at 6:00 pm at the Cushing Community Center, followed by a Holiday Party for town employees.

            The next meeting of the Marion Select Board will be held on Tuesday, November 23, at 3:00 pm.

Marion Select Board

By Mick Colageo

ORR Volleyball Advances to Final Four

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The past week of MIAA tournament games saw multiple Old Rochester Regional High School teams close out their seasons. However, girls volleyball is unsurprisingly still going strong. The No. 4 seed in Division 3 played twice at home last week, notching shutout wins in both matches.

            On November 9, the Bulldogs hosted Groton-Dunstable in a Round of 16 matchup. The South Coast Conference champions came away with the 3-0 win with 11 kills from senior Maggie Brogioli, 8 kills from senior Sally Butler, 7 from junior Ella Soutter, and 5 from senior Sydnee Pires. The win secured ORR a spot in the elite eight against No. 5 Holliston.

            When the two teams met on November 12, one might have expected the match to be much more competitive than ORR’s previous conquests as the teams were close in the rankings. However, the Bulldogs continued to impress at home with another 3-0 victory, winning the first set 25-9, the second 25-14 and the third 25-13. Brogioli led the team once again with 20 kills. Soutter had 8, Butler had 5 and Pires had 4. Freshman setter Aubrie Letourneau also contributed to the win with 31 assists.

            This win left girls volleyball as one of two Old Rochester teams still standing and set up a semifinal showdown against No. 1 seed Tewksbury on November 16 at Bridgewater-Raynham (results were too late for press time). The winner will face the winner of the November 17 semifinal between No. 2 Dennis-Yarmouth and No. 6 Bedford for the Division 3 state championship (date and location TBD).

Cross Country

The ORR girls cross country team came in sixth place at the Division 2B Championships on November 13 at Gardner Golf Course. The varsity team consisting of Hanna Whalley (21:27), Corrine Robert (21:51), Alexia Gonsalves (22:18), Julia Sheridan (22:21), Maddie Connor (22:24), Madeline Dugas (23:57), and Aubrey Heise (25:01) will now advance to the All-State meet on Saturday, November 20, at Wrentham Developmental Center.

Tyler Young placed 16th overall in the boys race with a time of 17:40, qualifying him as an individual to compete at the All-State meet. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs placed 12th as a team and did not qualify as a team, putting an end to the season for the rest of the top-seven boys.

Football

The Bulldogs’ tournament run came to a halt on November 13 with a 21-14 loss to No. 4 seed Pentucket at Whittier Tech in Haverhill. The quarterfinal game was tied at 7-7 going into the second half, but a tough defense and two touchdowns in the third and fourth quarters respectively put an end to Old Rochester’s championship aspirations. While the Bulldogs were knocked out of the Division 5 playoffs, they still have their Thanksgiving game against Apponequet to look forward to on Thursday, November 25, at 10:00 am in Lakeville.

Boys Soccer

            Old Rochester’s boys soccer team saw its season come to a heartbreaking end on November 10 when the hosts took a 4-2 loss in a Division 3 quarterfinal matchup against No. 10 seed Medway. Goals from Ryan Blanchette and George Psichopaidas brought the No. 7 ranked Bulldogs to a 2-1 lead at the end of the first half, but Medway came back with three goals in the second half to end ORR’s tournament run.

Sports Roundup

By Matthew Curry

Remember the Bike Path on Giving Tuesday

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The Friends of the Mattapoisett Bicycle and Recreational Path, Inc. (the Friends) are requesting that interested members of the community consider a donation to the Friends in their Giving Tuesday and year-end giving plans.

            “Given the funds recently approved by Congress for the construction of bike paths, this is a moment of opportunity,” observes newly elected Friends President Renee Pothier, “and contributions to the Friends at this time will increase the capacity to take advantage of this opportunity through collaboration with all of our community partners.”

            Thanks to the generosity of this community, the Friends have supplied more than $200,000 to support the construction of the bike path since its inception.

            Below is the recap of the Friends accomplishments in 2021:

            -Provided $95,000 to help fund the Marion Connector which was completed early in the summer.

            -Committed $20,000 for amenities such as benches and bicycle racks which are scheduled for installation along the path in the first half of 2022.

            -Partnered with the Mattapoisett Recreation Department to start a new initiative, Bikes for All, which refurbishes donated bicycles and makes them available free of charge to members of the community. In the first months of this initiative, our generous community donated over 150 bikes. The Friends has already refurbished and given fifty of these bikes to children and adults throughout our community who are enjoying them.

            None of these accomplishments would have happened without our community’s shared desire to help one another enjoy safe bicycling.

            In 2022, the Friends will be working to support the Town of Mattapoisett to complete the few segments of the bike path which remain unbuilt. This will require an initial investment of funds to cover preliminary activities such as design, engineering, appraisal, and environmental work so that the Town is in position to make applications for available grants.

            Again, please consider a contribution to the Friends of the Mattapoisett Bicycle and Recreational Path. Your contribution, along with the funds recently approved by Congress, provides a significant opportunity for our town.

            You can mail your contribution or donate online.

            By mail: make checks payable to the Friends of the Mattapoisett Bicycle and Recreational Path, P.O. Box 1336, Mattapoisett, MA 02739.

            Online: mattapoisettrailtrail.com/donate or at our GoFundMe page. The Friends will use all funds received to support the completion of the path and path amenities unless designated for the Bikes for All program.

            Friends of the Mattapoisett Bicycle and Recreational Path, Inc. is a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization. Contributions to the Friends are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law. Contacts: Liz DiCarlo, 508-942-9343, lizdicarlo@comcast.net; and Bill Coquillette, 216-789-2303, william.coquillette@gmail.com.

An H.H. Richardson House for Marion

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            Did you know that nationally renowned 19th century architect Henry Hobson Richardson designed one of his first Shingle Style houses right here in Marion, Massachusetts?

            The Reverend Percy Browne House at 192 Front Street (sometimes referred to as the TenBrook House for a later owner and now owned by Tabor Academy) is just that.

            Constructed in 1881-82, it is an exceptionally well-documented and well-preserved example of Richardson’s domestic designs. It was enlarged and altered between 1903 and 1921, but the alterations were carefully designed to harmonize with the original building fabric, plan, and silhouette, according to the Massachusetts Historical Commission Inventory Form B.

            Local lore has it that the house was designed on a wager made by local summer resident Reverend Percy Browne and his friend Mr. Richardson. Browne wagered that Richardson could not design a house for under $2,500. Apparently Reverend Browne lost the bet but gained the house instead, per historian Mark Wright’s analysis.

            Why is this house so important, one might ask?  For one, Henry Hobson Richardson (1838-1886) is considered the most accomplished and forward-looking American architect of the 19th century. As described by noted architectural historian James F. O’Gorman:

            “Richardson attained the status of premier architect in his own day and has retained that reputation in ours. … He established a kind of apostolic architectural succession that embraced Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright. Like theirs, his work stood out in both character and quality from that of his contemporaries. He was the first to define American architecture as distinct from its European origins … and his work … continues to attract acclamation throughout the world.”

            And secondly, the house itself is an early experiment in what later came to be known as the Shingle Style when so named in the 1950s by Vincent Scully, Jr. The style is characterized by simplified volumes clad in a generally uninterrupted skin of oiled or stained shingles. It became popular between the 1880s and 1910s and may possibly have been inspired as a larger and grander reinterpretation of the picturesque gambrel and salt box forms so prevalent in early 18th century New England architecture.

            Richardson’s biographer Mariana Van Rensselaer aptly captured the building’s significance in this charming 1888 description:

            “Its foundations follow with delightful frankness the variations of the ground upon which it stands, while its good proportions and the harmonious arrangement of its roof-lines gives it that truly architectural character in which dignity may lie for even the most modest building. … It explains itself at once as a gentleman’s summer home, but with a simplicity which does not put the humble village neighbor out of countenance. … The longer one studies this little house, the more one likes it, the more typical it seems of that sort of excellence which the American owner so often craves – artistic treatment combined with cheapness, comfort with small dimensions, beauty with simplicity, refinement without decoration.

            Indeed, a landmark of our very own to admire, to appreciate, and for which we as a community now all have a responsibility to preserve and protect for future generations.

By Meg Steinberg, Marion Historical Commission