New Scotlanders talk about history as views clash on cell tower
NEW SCOTLAND A cell tower proposal has gotten New Scotland residents talking about the towns history.
If the tower is approved, it will be constructed on a piece of property owned by the New Scotland Cemetery Association, and located behind the towns oldest church.
Neither the church nor the cemetery, within which are buried the bodies of 14 Revolutionary War soldiers, are listed on the states historic register. The oldest grave belongs to Jacob Moak, who served in the Albany County Militia; he died in 1795.
At last weeks town board meeting, resident Edie Abrams, who had served on the Residents Planning Advisory Committee, said that, in the report the committee submitted to the town in January of 2005, it was recommended that the town take an inventory of its historic buildings.
"It is a sad state of affairs that we haven’t done that," said Abrams.
The New Scotland Presbyterian Church, located on Route 85, was organized in 1787, and the first church building was constructed in 1791. The church that stands today was built in 1849.
A blue historic marker on the lawn in front of the church marks the towns recognition of its historic significance, said Robert Parmenter, the town historian.
New Scotland has two historical groups The New Scotland Historical Association and The Clarksville Historical Society. At last Wednesdays meeting, Abrams suggested that the groups work with the town to identify locations potentially eligible for the states historic register.
Identifying historic sites in town is a priority of both the New Scotland and Clarksville groups. Part of the Clarksville Historical Society’s mission statement is to "encourage the suitable marking of places of historic interest, such as the limestone industry, unique to Clarksville."
The New Scotland Historical Association purchases one or two markers for historic sites each year, Parmenter said. The markers cost about $1,000 each, he said, adding that the price has more than doubled over the past several years.
It is up to the individual landowner to apply to be added to the state and federal registers of historic places, Parmenter said. The landowner may opt to consult with the local historical association or with the towns historian, Parmenter said.
"It’s not necessary for the town to do it," he said. The New Scotland Historical Association has a lot of information regarding sites of historic importance around town, he said.
Anyone can nominate a property, said John Bonafide, the state’s historic preservation services coordinator, "but, we’ve learned that it is best to come from the owner.
"It tends to turn people off to historical preservation if an owner is forced into listing it," he said.
New Scotland does have one "historic district" that was established in the mid-1970s, Parmenter said. It is located near the hamlet of Feura Bush, in the southeastern corner of town where, he said, "There are a number of old stone houses."
A group of residents appealed to the state based on the architecture of the homes, and, said Parmenter, "They got it."
Historic Register criteria
Daniel Mackay, a resident of New Scotland South Road, has expressed concerns about the cell-tower proposal at several public meetings. Mackay works as the director of public policy with the Preservation League of New York State.
At a public hearing at the Sept. 25 zoning-board meeting, Mackay said, "The applicant has not adequately documented historic resources within a half-mile radius." The applicant has showed a "stunning lack of diligence," he said.
Several years ago, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) established a programmatic agreement, mandating cell-phone companies to undertake the review of State Historic Preservation Office files, Bonafide said.
The office currently holds information on 300,000 properties statewide, said Bonafide. About 100,000 properties are listed on the historical register, and there are about 5,000 nominations, he said.
New Scotland has four properties listed on the historical registers for the state and nation the Bennett Hill Farm, the Teunis Houghtaling House, the LaGrange farmstead, and a portion of the Onesquethaw Valley historic district, said Bonafide.
The State Historic Preservation Office does not have much information on many of the rural communities in the state, such as New Scotland, said Bonafide.
Of the 208 inventory forms on file in his office for the town, there are none relating to the New Scotland Presbyterian Church or the New Scotland Cemetery properties, he said. "These have never been documented," he said.
Enterprise Consulting Solutions filed the appropriate forms, and received a response from SHPO within the required 30 days; it issued a declaration of "no effect" to historic or cultural resources with regard to the proposed cell tower.
Bonafide said that he is not familiar with the site, but has a "great respect for Mr. Mackay," whom, he said, believes the site is eligible for the historic register.
"Once it had been brought to our attention, we did write a letter to the cell company" though we had passed our timeframe, indicating that issues had been raised" and asking that the historic nature of the property be considered, Bonafide said.
The company, he said, wrote back to say it felt it had done due diligence and is progressing with the project. "That is not uncommon," said Bonafide.
To be eligible for the state and national registers, a property must have historical significance, and be associated with events that have had an impact to the broad pattern of history; be associated with an individual of considerable historic significance; have significance in architecture or design; or have an archeological impact, said Mark Peckham, also with the states historic preservation office.
Some sites meet several or all of the criteria, and some meet only one, he said.
The evaluation criteria also state: "Ordinarily cemeteries, birthplaces, or graves of historical figures, properties owned by religious institutions or used for religious purposes, structures that have been moved from their original locations, reconstructed historic buildings, properties primarily commemorative in nature, and properties that have achieved significance within the past 50 years shall not be considered eligible for the State and National Registers."
Being eligible for the historic register carries the same weight as being listed, said Bonafide. If a property is listed, he said, it carries a higher level of documentation and involvement on the part of the landowner.
Cemeteries hold a lot of history, said Joe Hogan, the president of the Clarksville Historical Society. "I can walk through our cemetery and see the names of people who made Clarksville what it is," he said.
"All the cemeteries in the town of New Scotland are struggling," said Hogan. If the tower is approved, the New Scotland Cemetery Association hopes the money brought in from leasing the land will allow it to sustain itself. [See related stories on-line at: www.altamontenterprise.com, under archives for New Scotland for the dates: Oct. 5, 2006; Sept. 6, 2007; and Oct. 4, 2007].
"Expenses outweigh the income. Eventually, they’re all going to fail," Hogan said. "Some are in better shape than others," he added.
The New Scotland Presbyterian Church is a "charming church," Hogan said. "It’s quite a sight to see that church," he said, adding that, in his opinion, it would be a shame to have a piece of modern technology erected behind it.
Parmenter, who is also a member of the town’s zoning board, which will vote on the proposal, feels differently. "As a historian, frankly, I don’t see how it’s a problem" There is a such thing as progress," he said. "I don’t see it as a monumental problem," said Parmenter.
History is an important part of our heritage, said Parmenter. It is recognition, on the part of the people who live here today, of the struggles of people who came before us, and how the culture has changed, he said.
"It is becoming more and more important to know, not only where wetlands are" because of its importance to the planning process, but also where historic resources are," Bonafide concluded.
