The Town of Marlborough is pleased to announce that it has received a grant from the Preservation League of New York’s Preserve New York program to conduct a historic resource survey of the eastern portion of the town including the hamlets of Milton an Marlboro. (A survey of the rest of the town is planned to follow.) With the grant, the Town has retained the services of Neil Larson & Associates of Kingston, a historic preservation planning firm with a long track record of surveys in the Hudson Valley. NLA will undertake what is known as a reconnaissance survey, which will inventory all the properties in the survey area built before 1970 and classify them based on date of construction, current and historic functions, materials, design characteristics and condition, as well as associate them with historic themes significant in the physical development of the town. Marlborough is located on the cusp of Dutch and British settlement areas, and this is reflected in its early architecture, and its position on the Hudson River links it to the history of commerce and industry in the region as a whole. The survey will provide the Town with better understanding of the range of its historic resources and identify properties and districts of local significance, which will facilitate planning for historic preservation. The inventory will be accompanied by a report containing NLA’s assessment of its findings and recommendations for future actions. The report will be made available to the public on the Town’s web site as well in a public presentation scheduled after its completion. We all expect to learn a good deal about Marlborough’s history through the study of these buildings and gain a broader appreciation of their contribution to the character of the town.

Fieldwork is planned to commence in November, after the trees lose their leaves and buildings are more visible, and continue through the spring (April-May). Fieldworkers will photograph and record building data only from public right-of-ways unless permission is granted for access to private property. Public input is welcomed. Once the fieldwork is completed, historical research and analysis will begin leading to a draft of the report.

Any questions or concerns can be directed to Marlborough Historic Survey committee members Matt Kierstead, Ellen Stewart, Rosemary Wein, Al Lanzetta, or Howard Baker.