History and Information
The Simonds House located at 121 Lexington Street was built for Deacon Jonathan Simonds and his wife, Phebe, by Ishmael Munroe in 1781 - BEFORE the Presidency of George Washington!
Jonathan Simonds, born in 1752, is a Revolutionary War Soldier who served as a member of Captain Jonathan Walker's Militia Company and fought in the opening battle of the American Revolution at Lexington and Concord. After his time in the war he was elected selectman, an assessor and sat on the school committe in Burlington's infancy.
The home is currently in the Massachusetts Historical Commission Inventory as an Historic Asset and is in fact one of the town's finest 18th century, Federal Period, Federal Style residences.
Unfortunately, Burlington is behind the times and has not adopted the Community Preservation Act which could assist with funding to preserve the home. However, according to the Massachusetts Historical Commission, the Burlington Historical Society does have the ability to declare a single-home historic district which would permanently prevent the destruction of the site.
This home is slated for demolition by Joeseph Currier and Richard Bertone who would then like to build a three-family condominium complex, which in our opinion, grossly exceeds the nonconforming use stated in Article 6.1.1.2 in the Burlington Zoning Bylaw, even with its purposefully written ambiguity and reliance on the subjective ruling of the Board. The current home was built as a single-family home and due to the small addition of a garage and "storage room" was eventually, and mysteriously, classified as a three-family home. It is our opinion that the razing of the current home to build three separate, equally large-sized condominiums, each with their own two-car garage (totalling six), violates the "traffic volumes, traffic congestion, noise, scale,character, and visual effects" of the neighborhood and street. Thusly, the Board must deny the Permit and place the future of the Simonds House back in the hands of those who can continue the fight to save it.
It's up to us, the Friends of the Simonds House, to help preserve a significant part of Burlington's wonderful history. We have the unprecedeted opportunity, while the home still standing, to save it from being demolished and erased from memory.
The Burlington Historical Society has suggested placing a plaque near the sidewalk after the home is razed as a sad commemoration, which included about 350 acres when it was built, to forever be only remembered with a small and insignificant sign. This is an insulting and embarrassing proposal by the President of the Society, Mary Nohelty. Let her know that you want the home saved by emailing her at noheltymkn@verizon.net
If you are interested in helping to save the Simonds House with funding or if you have a proposal for other methods to save the home, please email us.
