Hingham's History in Need of Dedicated Preservation

Residents of Hingham will be well aware that they live in an area of historic significance in Massachusetts. It may not have a rock or be the site of important battles but the town is one of the most documented settlements in New England and the Hingham Historical Society is making a determined attempt to ensure the continued preservation of historical material.

On Tuesday night the Society, in conjunction with the , appeared before the Board of Selectmen to provide an update on their Master Plan for the Preservation of and Access to Hingham’s Historical Collections.

“We are temporary custodians,” said Dennis Corcoran, Hingham Librarian. "We have a responsibility to find some mechanism to ensure the preservation of these materials.”

A study by the Northeast Document Conservation Center has found that the town’s archival materials are not being preserved adequately with a lack of sufficient and suitable space being of particular concern. The collection includes textual records, photographs, moving images, prints, paintings and maps with many requiring proper environmental controls to ensure that further damage does not occur.

The master plan suggested the formation of a Hingham History Hub under the guidance of a professional Archivist that would be responsible for improving storage conditions, providing archival quality enclosures, arrangement of the material and publicizing the materials available through public programs and the Internet.

Aware that this project might take some time and require an element of funding, Ted Alexiades advised the Selectmen to take the matter under advisement while suitable candidates for the History Hub be considered as it will need to have the full participation of the town administration.

“We are telling Hingham’s stories to residents and the world and we now know the urgency of what must be done,” Cocoran said.