Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust to receive National DAR Historic Preservation Award for Spalding House

The Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust (LP&CT) will be honored this Wednesday, February 15, 2012, (7pm, 219 Walden St, Concord, MA), with the highly selective National Daughters of the American Revolution Historic Preservation Award for their work in the protection and preservation of the Spalding House (c 1760). 

LP&CT, a private non-profit environmental group and land trust operating in Lowell, Massachusetts, was donated the Spalding House by the Molly Varnum Chapter of the DAR upon its disbandment in 1996.  LP&CT has since conducted a full exterior restoration, added fuel efficiency systems, restored 42 sets of windows, inventoried and archivally stored the collection that came with the home, and worked with the city of Lowell to add additional park space abutting the property and the Merrimack River.  LP&CT is now fundraising to continue the interior restoration, develop exhibits, expand the house’s endowment, and complete landscaping of the property.  Eventually, the home will be open as an urban environmental history center with access by boat through national park programming and other partners. 

The DAR Historic Preservation Award is awarded to any individual or group with a distinguished record in historic preservation.  The criteria for the award include outstanding efforts in preserving a local landmark and the restoration or preservation of objects of historic cultural significance.  LP&CT was nominated for the award by the Old Concord Chapter of the DAR.

“In preserving and restoring the Spalding House located at 383 Pawtucket St, Lowell, the Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust has demonstrated a significant commitment to preserving our historic heritage right here in Merrimack Valley and Concord River watersheds,” said Kimberly Whitworth, Regent, Old Concord DAR.  “My awareness of the Spalding House began when I became Regent of the Old Concord Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in 2010.  I was lucky enough to attend the 250^th birthday of the Spalding House opening when the Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust unveiled their preservation efforts to the community.  I was so impressed by the care and attention to detail they exhibited in their restoration of this Revolutionary Era house and I appreciated their efforts to preserve the DAR presence in the house, as the house once belonged to the now disbanded Molly Varnum NSDAR chapter.”

Stephen Conant, LP&CT co-founder and past president said, "It is a great honor to be recognized for our historic preservation work by the Daughters of the American Revolution, an organization that has done so much for historic preservation in this country.  In truth, our work only continues the work begun to preserve the Spaulding House by the Molly Varnum Chapter of the DAR in 1896 and most recently, by its last Regent, Helen Whiting.  I'm sure Helen is looking down on us with a smile knowing that we've been honored in this way."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                            

Contact: Jane Calvin (978) 934-0030                                                                        

Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust   

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