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 Q: What is the difference between the Sandwich Historical Commission and the Sandwich Historic District Committee, or are they the same organization? A: They are quite different organizations with quite different responsibilities. The Sandwich Historical Commission was established in 1971 to identify, document, preserve, develop and protect the historic and archaeological assets of the Town and to promote public awareness of the history of the Town of Sandwich. By law a member of the Sandwich Historical Commission serves on the Sandwich Community Preservation Committee and the Historical Commission is authorized to determine whether a building, structure, vessel, real property, document or artifact is significant in the history, archeology, architecture or culture of Sandwich, and thereby eligible for CPC funding. The Commission is composed of seven members appointed by the Board of Selectmen for three-year terms. The Sandwich Historic District Committee was established in 1973 and is also known as the Sandwich Old King's Highway Regional Historic District Committee. It works together with several other Cape Cod towns as the Old King's Highway Regional Historic District Commission to protect these towns' visual character and setting by reviewing all exterior changes to buildings, signs, and other construction for congruity, compatibility, and appropriateness with each town's historic character. The Sandwich Historic District Committee must approve all exterior changes to structures within the District prior to the commencement of work, including new construction, alterations/additions, demolitions, and painting. This includes construction or alterations to sheds, decks, windows, hedges, signs, walls, walkways, berms, driveway paving and aprons, fences, arbors, light posts, etc. Upon Sandwich Historic District Committee approval, a Certificate of Appropriateness is issued. The Sandwich Old King's Highway Historic District includes all properties north of the centerline of Route 6 to the Cape Cod Bay low water line, extending from the Town of Bourne to the Town of Barnstable and also including a part of Sandwich that is on the western side of the Cape Cod Canal. The Committee is composed of five members four of whom must reside in the historic district and are elected for terms of four years. A fifth member must be an architect or builder and is appointed annually by the Board of Selectmen. Q: Is the Sandwich Historic District the only historic district in Sandwich? A: There is another historic district in Sandwich - the Town Hall Square National Register Historic District. The Town Hall Square National Register Historic District is actually located within the Sandwich Historic District. The Town Hall Square District was created in 1975 by the Federal government at the request of the Town to recognize nationally the historic significance of that part of the Town. Unlike the Sandwich Historic District (see above), the Town Hall Square National Register District has no authority to regulate construction or control in any way changes to structures; a National Register district is simply a way of recognizing the national importance and significance of a particular area. Within the next year the Sandwich Historical Commission expects two additional National Register Historic Districts will be established in the Town: the Jarvesvllle National Register District that will recognize the historic importance of the Sandwich Glass Factory and buildings associated with the men and women who worked there; and the Spring Hill National Register District which will recognize the historic importance of that section of Sandwich that was settled early by Sandwich Quakers. |
"Our mission is to protect and preserve the unique early American character of Sandwich through the acquisition, restoration and enhancement of our historic resources, not only for the cultural benefit of the residents of Sandwich, but to encourage and increase the heritage tourism that is so crucial to our economy." - Mass General Law, Chapter 40C. Section 4 |