Norwood Historical Commission seeks $24,000 to hire preservationist to complete Highland Cemetery National Register nomination

The Norwood Historical Commission asked the Community Preservation Commission on Jan. 22 for $24,000 to hire a preservation consultant to complete a National Register of Historic Places nomination for Highland Cemetery, including the Chapel of Saint Gabriel.

"We're here to discuss the request for funds to hire a preservationist to pursue and complete the nomination to the National Register of Historic Places for Highland Cemetery," Tony Esco, vice chair of the Norwood Historical Commission, told the CPC. He said the cemetery spans about 40 acres with more than 22,000 graves and more than 4,000 veterans interred.

Why it matters: A successful nomination would add Highland Cemetery and the 1903 Chapel of Saint Gabriel to the National Register, making the property eligible for certain grants and recognizing its historical and landscape significance. The Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC) has reviewed prior submissions and recommended that the town hire a preservation specialist to meet the state and National Park Service documentation standards. Esco said prior attempts — begun with a Board of Selectmen letter of support in 2014 — stalled because of staff turnover, evolving MHC requirements and the workload of preservation consultants.

Scope and consultant work: The preservationist would compile a detailed cemetery map showing original boundaries and later expansions, document burial dates (including burials within the last 50 years where relevant), photograph and describe the chapel, administration building and other features (stone walls, notable monuments, horticultural plan), and address follow‑up questions from MHC. Esco said the commission received sample successful cemetery nominations from MHC and expects the consultant to use those as templates. The preservationist recommended to the commission estimated the project would take about nine months if funded and contracted.

Process and questions from the commission: Commissioners discussed procurement steps: because the requested amount exceeds $10,000, the town will need an RFP. Committee members offered to help draft or review the RFP; Deputy town and CPC staff advised that the town manager and Board of Selectmen would appoint a town staff liaison if the consultant work requires town records or signatures. Esco said substantial groundwork had already been completed by earlier consultants and that the preservationist would pick up where the prior submission left off.

Next steps: The Historical Commission asked the CPC to fund the RFP and consultant contract; commissioners said they would consider a formal recommendation at the CPC meeting on Feb. 5.