CPS Historic Marker Questions and Answers
1) When is the next round for historic marker applications?
The last round was 2013, and CPS has not announced a future round. About 400
hours of volunteer time is associated with each round; this is a taxing effort for any
volunteer organization. CPS would welcome active, committed volunteers to assist in a
largely weekday effort.
2) How much do CPS historic markers cost?
The most recent round, in 2013-14, cost was $300 per bronze marker; this is the
cost of foundry manufacturing and professional installation. Bronze costs only go up.
20 is the minimal number needed to enable reasonable foundry costs. CPS only uses
professional installation; prior efforts at homeowner or volunteer installation proved
unsatisfactory.
3) Why is there a delay between rounds?
Since the 2004 inception, CPS has found that it takes at least 2 years to reach 20
applications that meet the documentation, property age, and condition and original
character criteria. A small volunteer committee of CPS handles all aspects of the
program, including the arduous task of verifying documentation. In cases of questionable
integrity, the entire Board is consulted.
4) What is adequate documentation?
The CPS Historic Marker Program presents the most accurate possible
information about a property’s origin. Its purpose is to inform passers’ by about the
City’s Oldest Neighborhood and encourage its preservation. CPS employs the same
rigorous standards used by most communities that sponsor marker programs.
Often, the information on the Boston Landmarks Commission Charlestown Survey
forms, found in the “white Books” at the Charlestown Branch library, contain adequate
information regarding the building’s earliest history. This grant-funded survey done in
1981-83 researched some 10% of the neighborhoods property over a year. Given the
limited time and funds, relatively few properties had extensive research such as deed
investigations to acertain construction dates, owners, and makers. The experienced
professional who undertook this inventory provided estimates using stylistic references and
often urged further study.
Since the BLC study, the City of Boston Archives was created revealing some pre1874 property tax records for Charlestown. Records for some years are absent, and early
recording systems merely offer owner’s names without any street names. Multiple volumes,
and multiple years’ records must be examined, often with no results.
Census records, now online through proprietary organizations, are much easier to
access, but early records also lack street information associated with individuals.
Deeds, tax records, probate information are the bed rock documentation, followed by
City Registries (prior to telephone books), census records, and the like.
Typically, real estate brokers estimates are 99% inaccurate and are not considered
documentation by CPS.
5) Why do some properties lack names and/or have circa dates?
Some owners do not wish to include a name, even though such information exists.
Circa dates are used when, in the opinion of CPS, adequate documentation is provided but it
lacks exact construction dates. Occasionally, CPS seeks the opinion of architectural
historians and researchers who have considerable experience in 19th c. Boston architectural
history when circa dates are proposed.
6) I was told my building is earlier that CPS understands; can I use that date?
CPS is the final determiner of text and dates on a marker, all based on adequate
documentation. Legend, urban myths, and the like do not constitute adequate
documentation.
7) How does CPS help me with documentation?
CPS sponsors workshops at the library prior to a marker round to assist owners
interested in historic markers; these focus on the library’s resources. CPS sponsors
workshops at the Middlesex Registry of Deeds. When an owner assembles sufficient
information, CPS consults with the City Archives as necessary.
Please see the CPS website: www.charlestownpreservation.org for the how-to
research guides.
8) Can I hire CPS to prepare documentation?
No, CPS is a volunteer organization. Few people, including historians, have
experience with original property documentation, so CPS encourages owners to take the
time themselves to research. Real estate attorneys may have contacts with title examiners,
who research modern deeds for transactions, but CPS can provide no leads in this regard.
9) What does original character mean?
Charlestown has a wealth of 19th and some early 20th century domestic architecture.
As the CPS publication, The History and Architecture of Charlestown, indicates, properties
that retain original door and window arrangements, materials, scale, roof arrangement, and
architectural details are numerous. All these are considered character-defining elements by
CPS. In owners/developers’ zeal to improve buildings, often original materials are covered
or replaced with not-in-kind materials, windows and doors are replaced/changed with nonin-kind types, exterior architectural detail is removed entirely, roof shapes are changed, etc.
Such actions may result in CPS’s finding that the original character of a property is absent.
On some properties, CPS may determine that a later integral feature has become characterdefining; a simple Greek Revival frame house may display all characteristics of such a style
but an owner added an Italianate bracketed door hood at the entry. A CPS Marker for such
a building likely would display an original date. However, a number of Greek Revival
properties underwent large scale changes in the 1870’s adding a floor with a resultant flat
roof, decorative cornice, and a 3-family tenement appearance. This is a common style that
reflects the development patterns of the neighborhood, and if these later 19th features are
retained now, CPS may approve an1870s marker date based on the documentation of these
changes.
10) Have any CPS Markers been stolen?
No, professional installation secured the 150+ CPS markers since the first round.