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Historic District Commission: Bickford-Chesley House finished, exhibit on slavery to open
Summary
The Historic District Commission reported the Bickford-Chesley House restoration is essentially finished, a tenant will occupy the upstairs on June 1, and a new exhibit about the town's slavery-era history curated by Caroline Singer will be installed with an expected June open house.
The Historic District Commission told the Durham Town Council on May 18 that restoration work on the Bickford-Chesley House at Wagon Hill Farm is essentially finished and that a tenant is scheduled to move into the upstairs apartment on June 1.
Commission Chair Larry Brickner-Wood thanked public-works staff, contractors and the Oversight Team and said the commission hopes to hold an open house in June. He said the commission is installing a gallery and exhibit and praised curator Caroline Singer.
Councilor Carden Welsh said the exhibit is "moving and shows how a lot of people in town were complicit in slavery either intentionally or unintentionally," and Brickner-Wood said the display aims to document historical truth rather than make people feel bad. The commission also plans to post an historic marker on the Old Durham Town Hall and to encourage homeowners to mark houses with their build date and builder where appropriate.
Brickner-Wood told the Council the commission signed a Memorandum of Understanding to meet Section 106 requirements for the Mill Pond Dam removal and said filmmaker Jerry Monkman will produce the required documentary.
The commission asked that historical and cultural preservation be added to the Town Council goals document. Chair Joe Friedman thanked the commission for its report; no formal Council action was taken on the request during this meeting.
