State's Parks on 10 Most Endangered Resources List

Plymouth Rock, Borderland State Park and Schooner Ernestina Most Dire Examples

Some 450,000 acres of state-owned land have been deemed one of Massachusetts ' “10 Most Endangered Historic Resources.” The list is compiled each year by Preservation Massachusetts, the state's historic preservation organization.

Preservation Massachusetts has highlighted Plymouth Rock, Easton and Sharon 's Borderland State Park and New Bedford 's Schooner Ernestina as particularly dire examples of the neglect that endangers the future of Massachusetts ' parks and historic sites. The state's Department of Conservation and Recreation manages the entire acreage and the 250 facilities housed on the land.

"The lack of maintenance of our park system is an embarrassment, not only to the Department of Conservation and Recreation, but to the entire Commonwealth of Massachusetts ,” said Jim Igoe, president of Preservation Massachusetts. “When a trip to Plymouth Rock is anticlimactic and disappointing, it is time to refocus efforts to save these under-funded state treasures."

Lack of funding for maintenance, management and operations are at the root of the threat to the park land. The result: deteriorating buildings and historic artifacts, trash-laden, overgrown parks and shuttered historic sites. Currently, the department has a backlog of maintenance and repairs that would cost $1.7 billion to complete, according to Kathy Abbott, the leader of a grassroots effort to restore the park system, the Conservation and Recreation Campaign.

"We have an obligation as one of this country's oldest and most beautiful states to safeguard our historic and natural jewels for future generations, not just for us, but for everyone," said Abbott the former head of the Department of Conservation and Recreation. "This is a wake-up call to all of us who care about our history and the environment. It's time we stepped up and took care of these natural and historic legacies before they are permanently lost."

In its listing of the 450,000 acres of state-owned land, Preservation Massachusetts pointed in particular to the following sites:

Plymouth Rock: A portico covering the famous rock, the centerpiece of the Pilgrim Memorial State Park , is deteriorating. After ceiling tiles fell several years ago, the state put netting over the area to prevent more debris from falling until it could repair the roof, which still hasn't been done.

Borderland State Park : The 1,570-acre park is overseen by two people and a part-timer, who are unable to keep up with maintenance. The buildings, including the historic Ames Mansion , are deteriorating and suffer from leaks and mold, putting historical collections at risk.

The Schooner Ernestina: The wooden tall ship, built in 1894, is the only surviving 19 th century fishing schooner built in the United States . She is currently drydocked and closed, in need of $700,000 in repairs to become seaworthy and an estimated $250,000 annually for maintenance and operation expenses.

Other Endangered Resources

Fort Point Channel, Boston 's 19 th century industrial waterfront district, also made the 10 Most Endangered list. Preservationist are concerned that planned renovations of historic warehouses will compromise the distinct scale and character of the 55-acre site.

The other eight endangered sites on the 2006 list are: the General Loring House outbuildings (Beverly); the Sarah Clayes House (Framingham); the Keystone Arches (Middlefield, Chester and Becket); the Wheelwright Garden (Newburyport); the William Russell Allen House (Pittsfield); the Wright-Lock-Hamilton Farm (Winchester); the Worcester State Hospital Complex; and original wood windows in Massachusetts.

About the 10 Most Endangered List

Now in its 13th year, the list has become an effective tool for preservationists to focus attention on the condition of individual historic properties and their importance to communities. Of the more than 100 historic sites designated as endangered since the list's inception in 1993, fewer than a dozen have been lost.

This year's list was culled from nominations submitted by preservation-minded groups and individuals throughout the state. Submissions are judged by several criteria, including their historic significance, the extent of the threat and the community's commitment to preserving the resource.

Founded in 985, Preservation Massachusetts (formerly known as Historic Massachusetts, Inc.) is the only statewide non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the Commonwealth's historic and cultural heritage.

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State's Parks on 10 Most Endangered Resources List Plymouth Rock, Borderland State Park and Schooner Ernestina Most Dire Examples Some 450,000 acres of state-owned land have been deemed one of Massachusetts ' “10 Most Endangered Historic Resources.” The list is compiled each year by Preservation Massachusetts, the state's historic preservation organization. Preservation Massachusetts has highlighted Plymouth Rock, Easton and Sharon 's Borderland State Park and New Bedford 's Schooner Ernestina as particularly dire examples of the neglect that endangers the future of Massachusetts ' parks and historic sites. The state's Department of Conservation and Recreation manages the entire acreage and the 250 facilities housed on the land. "The lack of maintenance of our park system is an embarrassment, not only to the Department of Conservation and Recreation, but to the entire Commonwealth of Massachusetts ,” said Jim Igoe, president of Preservation Massachusetts. “When a trip to Plymouth Rock is anticlimactic and disappointing, it is time to refocus efforts to save these under-funded state treasures." Lack of funding for maintenance, management and operations are at the root of the threat to the park land. The result: deteriorating buildings and historic artifacts, trash-laden, overgrown parks and shuttered historic sites. Currently, the department has a backlog of maintenance and repairs that would cost $1.7 billion to complete, according to Kathy Abbott, the leader of a grassroots effort to restore the park system, the Conservation and Recreation Campaign. "We have an obligation as one of this country's oldest and most beautiful states to safeguard our historic and natural jewels for future generations, not just for us, but for everyone," said Abbott the former head of the Department of Conservation and Recreation. "This is a wake-up call to all of us who care about our history and the environment. It's time we stepped up and took care of these natural and historic legacies before they are permanently lost." In its listing of the 450,000 acres of state-owned land, Preservation Massachusetts pointed in particular to the following sites: Plymouth Rock: A portico covering the famous rock, the centerpiece of the Pilgrim Memorial State Park , is deteriorating. After ceiling tiles fell several years ago, the state put netting over the area to prevent more debris from falling until it could repair the roof, which still hasn't been done. Borderland State Park : The 1,570-acre park is overseen by two people and a part-timer, who are unable to keep up with maintenance. The buildings, including the historic Ames Mansion , are deteriorating and suffer from leaks and mold, putting historical collections at risk. The Schooner Ernestina: The wooden tall ship, built in 1894, is the only surviving 19 th century fishing schooner built in the United States . She is currently drydocked and closed, in need of $700,000 in repairs to become seaworthy and an estimated $250,000 annually for maintenance and operation expenses. Other Endangered Resources Fort Point Channel, Boston 's 19 th century industrial waterfront district, also made the 10 Most Endangered list. Preservationist are concerned that planned renovations of historic warehouses will compromise the distinct scale and character of the 55-acre site. The other eight endangered sites on the 2006 list are: the General Loring House outbuildings (Beverly); the Sarah Clayes House (Framingham); the Keystone Arches (Middlefield, Chester and Becket); the Wheelwright Garden (Newburyport); the William Russell Allen House (Pittsfield); the Wright-Lock-Hamilton Farm (Winchester); the Worcester State Hospital Complex; and original wood windows in Massachusetts. About the 10 Most Endangered List Now in its 13th year, the list has become an effective tool for preservationists to focus attention on the condition of individual historic properties and their importance to communities. Of the more than 100 historic sites designated as endangered since the list's inception in 1993, fewer than a dozen have been lost. This year's list was culled from nominations submitted by preservation-minded groups and individuals throughout the state. Submissions are judged by several criteria, including their historic significance, the extent of the threat and the community's commitment to preserving the resource. Founded in 985, Preservation Massachusetts (formerly known as Historic Massachusetts, Inc.) is the only statewide non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the Commonwealth's historic and cultural heritage.