Historical commission weighs museum repairs, National Register bid for Perry Hill Church

The Acushnet Historical Commission met Sept. 10 and focused on museum upkeep, archival work and an effort to pursue National Register recognition for Perry Hill Church.

Commission members confirmed the museum and meeting house are open and operational but said some work remains: painting at the museum is pending a quote, one fence was recently repaired, and two historic signs were scraped, sanded and repainted by a member identified in the discussion as Richard. Members also reported completion of repairs to 12 window ropes and installation of new blackout shades that improved exhibit presentation.

The commission described a recent visit by a preservation specialist from Gloucester, identified in the meeting as Wendy Frontier, who reviewed photographs and several local census and school‑history volumes the commission provided. Members said she will review the materials and return items the commission does not need for its files.

Members discussed an effort to place Perry Hill Church on the National Register to access preservation funding, but cautioned that bringing the building up to code for public use could be expensive. The commission noted that grants may not cover the full scope of required code upgrades and that additional local funds or matching commitments could be necessary.

The commission reported new alarm systems were installed in both the museum and meeting house and that the museum’s system has advanced controls and is connected to police and fire dispatch; the vendor was identified as Alarm New England.

Next steps listed by members include writing a letter to the selectmen to clarify property access for placing plaques at former one‑room schoolhouse sites and pursuing potential Community Preservation Committee (CPC) funding, while recognizing CPC meeting schedules and application timing could limit near‑term options. The commission scheduled its next meeting for Oct. 8.