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The Authors Meet Joe McQuaid
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The Bell Tolls No More: Harvey School District 5
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Top level
Lost Landmarks
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That was then......
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.....in the early 1990's. While the school stood here, dormant, big business was deciding it's fate. Preservationists had their plans too. A petition signed by some 676 people around the city, suggested this was more than just a pile of bricks standing in the way of a $35 million Mall expansion.
The plans to raze this structure had their inception in July of 1993, despite the fact that New England Development, indicated to planning officials on July 9 they were interested in preserving the structure. Was this just a short sweet song? Yup, the intonation changed drastically on August 11, 1993, when NED told a citizens group they "see no use for the school, but whoever wants it can move it".
Manchester Historical Association Director, John Mayer, likely saw this as a landmark case of how historic structures fall in our city, and wrote to the city, urging creation of an advisory panel to aid in preservation issues.
For the next couple of months, estimates to move the school came in at anywhere from $100,000 to $250,000, not including another lot to put the school on, site work, and a new foundation. Keep in mind, this estimate, at the highest amount was LESS THAN 1 PER-CENT of the Mall expansion total. Planning Director Robert MacKenzie says on November 4, that "There's no public property right near that intersection". In fact, a vacant lot still exists ten years later, adjacent to Fire Station three and the "Harvey House".
Despite the pleas of the people, petitions, and those concerns of the MHA, the planning board accepts NED offer of $150,000 of improvements to the intersection of Mooresville, Huse and Weston Rds. The net gain: four feet of roadway, and a sidewalk on one side. In this sum, "historic preservation" of the school was planned through photographs.
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....and this is now...
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The lot where the school so hard fought for exists today as the southern entrance of the Mall of NH. Those who use this entrance, myself included, find access to this mall far easier. But, does that justify the loss of a structure, which in 1991 was eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places? That question could be debated for another ten years or more, but there's no longer anything worth fighting for. Or is there? This situation is guaranteed to play out again in the case of other historic structures here in the Queen City. This photo ten years later in may of 2004, from nearly the same vantage point as the photo above of 1994.
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Aftermath of the claw
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On May 6 of 1994, the walls were smashed, loaded into dumptrucks and carted off. Some smiled, (New England Developers) some grimmaced.(preservationists) While a May 12 Planning Board meeting was still to be held regarding the preservation of the school, New England Development demolished the schoolhouse. Leader of the preservation effort, Bernie Cowette had considered an injunction to prevent such action, but high legal costs made it prohibitive. Cowette theorized New England Development tore it down to avoid further confrontations. Mr. Cowette is a wise man.
At the same time, Bill Mc Cabe of NED said this of the building: "it was an "attractive nuisance" and a liability. It was not occupied and left in some degree of disrepair. I was very concerned about attempted break-ins and having it become a nesting place for people who were going to be involved in activities that I certainly didn't want the liability for". Mc Cabe also added, "I never heard anything about the injunction". He said the Harvey Schoolhouse "has never been determined by anybody to be an historic building. It was not something of real historical significance...."
Mc. Cabe had also said to the Boston Globe on January 2, 1994, " the building had little or no historical significance. I'm pleased to see that the planning board chose the issue of safety (widening S. Willow St.) over what I felt was a weak historical arguement". He added that the School's eligibility for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places would not alter his company's intent to destroy the school.
So here it sat, just an empty cellar hole, a week before those who wanted to save it had their final chance to speak. This IS how big business plays around here.
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Ten Years after the dust settled...
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The battle is lost, the dust has settled, and the cars zip on by this ever expanding section of south Manchester. What have we learned?
Have we seen two sides to every arguement? Yes we have. Have we seen that those with the cash typically win? Sure. Have we learned that Manchester needs to devise a plan to keep this balance between increased tax revenue and preservation of "Communal Heirlooms"? I sure hope so.
The case of the wrecking of the Harvey School was a missed opportunity for the City to truly "take the bull by the horns" and devise a plan to eliminate such underhanded tactics which claim these structures. That is not to say that those who appreciate these places don't have their beliefs and ideas. They simply don't have the "dough" to implement them.
As you look at this view of the location of what was once the Harvey School, taken in May of 2004,(looking south, southwest) remember that this was a cause which was fought for, by those who stood to gain nothing financially. The effort was from the heart, while those who decided against the preservation thought with the wallet.
Ten years have passed, and many have forgotten about the battle. It still rages on, though the next battlefield has yet to be determined. We cannot bring back what has been lost, while we can keep those things we truly wish to preserve, if not motivated by money.
A very special thanks to Bernie Cowette. Without the information shared by him, this article would not have been possible. Thanks for reading!!!! Joe
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Comment List
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Alison Poetker
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09.23.2004 10:30
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Jonas Harvey Jr built this school. In 1860 his nephew , Jonas H. Harvey b Canada was living with him Jonas H. Harvey married Mary Nutt,, sister of the dwarf Commodore Nutt. In 1880 they were in Sullivan County.NH.
Jonas H. Harvey was a 1st cousin of my gg grandmother, Experience Harvey.
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Cathy Becker
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07.31.2005 21:47
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>
> Jonas Harvey Jr built this school. In 1860 his nephew ,
> Jonas H. Harvey b Canada was living with him Jonas H.
> Harvey married Mary Nutt,, sister of the dwarf Commodore
> Nutt. In 1880 they were in Sullivan County.NH.
> Jonas H. Harvey was a 1st cousin of my gg grandmother,
> Experience Harvey.
Alison,
Please contact me at cdbeckerco@yahoo. I have info about Annie Sherk Piper (my g-grandmother).
Cathy
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