Walk the Streets with the Ashland Historical Walking Tour, May 16

ASHLAND, Mass. - May 12, 2015 - PRLog -- The Ashland Historical Commission will host a Walking Tour on Saturday, May 16, 1 to 3 p.m. (light rain or shine), led by experienced tour guide Jennifer Lecesse. Residents will learn about a potential downtown National Register of Historical Places district and the important role it plays in a downtown renaissance, as well as about the many community-oriented families that contributed to Ashland’s rich history.

The tour will start at the Ashland Town Hall, 101 Main St., continue up, down and around the downtown streets and conclude at Stone’s Public House for light refreshments. Walkers should wear comfortable clothing and shoes and bring water to drink.

Commission chair Maureen Assencoa said she hopes that the town will consider historic preservation in its planning. “Downtown was the civic and commercial center of Ashland, and preserving its historical buildings is important.”

“Through these walks, we are creating awareness of Ashland’s historical sites,” Julie Nardone, a Historical Commission member, said. “These [National Register of Historical Places] districts are symbolic in nature. They lend some cache to a town and make folks feel proud of what they have. Many New England towns have them.”

“Ashland residents might be surprised that historic districts increase property values; they underscore a town’s commitment to save its historic properties and legacy,” Nardone added.

Tour guide Jennifer Lecesse grew up in Ashland and studied medieval history. In England, she studied and worked as a tour guide for the City of Ely and the Ely Cathedral, about 80 miles north/north-east of London. When she returned to New England, she became interested in its history. “People don’t often know the history in their own back yards,” Lecesse said. “Ashland residents don’t have to go far to find a rich history right here.”

The walk is sponsored in part by the Ashland Historical Society, which provided access to historical records, and by a grant from the Ashland Board of Selectmen/Boston Athletic Association.

For more information, contact Historical Commission chair Maureen Assencoa, historical@ashlandmass.com.