Historical Commission seeks site visit on Snake Brook Dam project

WAYLAND -- February 6, 2023, Wayland Historical Commission seeks site visit before Snake Brook Dam work begins. Chair Katherine Gardner-Westcott said Monday she will write back to PARE Corporation engineer Lauren Blunt, who filed a Project Notification Form with state Executive Director Brona Simons, to request an on-site walkthrough of the 1878 gatehouse and dam embankment. Member Tonya Largy flagged regrading of the downstream slope and spillway reconstruction as "archaeologically sensitive," noting the commission has not visited since 2016. Member R. Richard Conard reported National Archives records show the Wayland train-order signal mast stood 35 feet, with an engineers' inspection listing 33, ahead of a Feb. 14 Historic District Commission hearing. Consultant Duncan Ritchie told the panel Senior Center machine monitoring would begin in March. The commission approved Jan. 9 minutes 5-0.