Not long ago someone from a local paper asked me to explain Rochester’s groups/boards with the word “historic” in their names. There are three entities that fit that bill. Two of these are town boards and the addition of “al” helps to distinguish one from the other.
The Historic District Commission has as its mission maintaining the historic character in Rochester Center. They guide those who wish to build in that area to blend with the existing buildings.
The Historical (note the-al) Commission has a broader scope. Their goal is to preserve, promote and in some instances protect Rochester’s rich history. This includes the many homes and public buildings that have been here for untold years. To make the public aware of these spots, the commission has created an historic plaque program. Information about the plaques is available on the Historical Commission section of the town website. The Commission has been donating plaques to public buildings. They can be found around town, including one at the entrance to Town Hall.
In addition to the plaques, the Historical Commission visits the third grades at Rochester Memorial School each spring to teach various aspects of Rochester history. They provide each child with a Rochester history color book. Over the last two years, the Historical Commission has worked to have a memorial created to honor those who fought in the Revolutionary War, as none existed in town. With the help of Jeff Eldridgr and Peter Foss, the memorial was created and dedicated in May.
Now to the Rochester Historical (another-al) Society which owns and maintains the Rochester Historical Museum. The Society is independent of the town. It is a nonprofit organization and receives no town funding. The mission of the Society is similar to that of the Historical Commission. However, we preserve more than buildings. Our museum is home to many papers, pictures, maps and artifacts that tell the story of Rochester. We have a yearly exhibit, monthly meetings with speakers and other activities to share history and to engage the public.
We do our best to answer questions and highlight Rochester’s history through meeting topics and exhibits. We are also dedicated to preserving the East Rochester Congregational Church which houses our museum and is on the National Register of Historic Places. This is not an easy task as any steward of an almost 200-year-old building would understand.
Some of the confusion around these three organizations no doubt stems from the fact that at least two of them share board members. This happens in many towns where the pool of volunteers is shallow. It’s safe to say all of these groups would welcome more volunteers and members.
By Connie Eshbach