Historic Briggs Standish House Secures Preservation Restriction from Pembroke Select Board

Briggs Standish House, built in 1738, to be protected from demolition and alterations under new deed restriction

PEMBROKE, MA - June 26 - Pembroke's Select Board approved a preservation restriction for the historic Briggs Standish House on Jun. 26, ensuring its protection for future generations. The 1738 property, located at 95 Brick Hill Lane, will be safeguarded from demolition and require sensitive alterations to maintain its historic character.

Homeowners Judy and David, who have lived in the house since 1985, requested the restriction through Historic New England, a nonprofit organization that protects properties across the region with private preservation restrictions.

Dylan Peacock, representing Historic New England, presented the request to the board. "The restriction ensures that it is not demolished, that alterations to it are reviewed by Historic New England to ensure that they're sensitively done in keeping with the historic character of the house," Peacock explained.

The Briggs Standish House holds significant historical value for Pembroke. In 1813, it was purchased by Luther Briggs, a prominent shipbuilder who constructed many boats on the North River at the adjacent Brick Hill Shipyard.

Judy emphasized the importance of preserving the property: "This is our gift to the town of Pembroke. I mean, this is something that we feel very strongly about. And we just love and cherish the house."

The preservation restriction creates no liability for the town of Pembroke. The Massachusetts Historical Commission has already offered its preliminary approval, and the Pembroke Historical Commission voted to recommend that the Select Board approve the restriction.

Board member Dan Trabucco expressed support for the initiative, stating, "I applaud what you're doing."

The restriction will protect not only the exterior but also significant interior features such as plaster, woodwork, and floorboards that have survived for centuries. Historic New England will partner with current and future homeowners to provide preservation advice, planning, and contractor recommendations.

In other news, the Select Board heard an update on the Route 36 paving project from Town Manager Bill Chenard. Following aggressive advocacy by town officials, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has agreed to upgrade the project significantly.

Chenard reported, "I'm pleased to inform the board this evening that they're going to mill and replace the underlayment road on Route 36 and they have upgraded the final coat to a high-grade asphalt epoxy."

This improvement comes after the town raised concerns about the quality of the initial work. Chenard explained that while core samples showed no problems, physical inspection revealed issues with crumbling asphalt.

To address these concerns, the town took proactive measures. "We actually filmed the roadway. We hired an engineering firm to film the roadway so that we had to have evidence," Chenard said.

The upgraded project will include changes to the aggregate size in the underlayment, which will create a tighter bond with the asphalt. This should result in a higher quality road that will last longer for Pembroke residents.

While the improvements are welcome news, Chenard noted that there will be some temporary inconvenience for residents. "There will be two nights. Only two, but two nights where they're doing work on Route 36," he said, explaining that nighttime work allows for seamless paving without traffic interruptions.

The town manager emphasized the long-term benefits of these upgrades: "We want to get something that the town isn't going to have to start repairing in year two after they put it down."

Board members expressed satisfaction with the outcome. One member commented, "We basically got the whole road. Are you kidding me? And they upgraded the top coat."