Natural Historic And Cultural Resources

Introduction

The character of Littleton is closely related to the significance of its natural and cultural resources. Situated on the gently rolling hills of northeastern Massachusetts, Littleton contains the remnants of a culture that once relied on agriculture, and the natural resources that contributed to that culture. The history of Littleton characterizes the growth and development of New England ranging from a period of active pre-European settlement, through agrarian activity and industrial birth, to the forefront of high technology. As a result, Littleton offers a great wealth of both natural and cultural resources.

This section of the Master Plan first describes the community's natural resources with a review of the environmental inventory of the 1997 Littleton Open Space and Recreation Plan. This Plan provides a good summary of the existing natural environment, from which to build the rest of this section. Cultural arts and activities offered by the community are then inventoried and discussed. Other sources, such as Services and Facility interviews, town annual reports, Housing and Economic Development, and US Census data have also been integrated where appropriate. A review of the Littleton Historic Resources Inventory has been conducted and current preservation issues are then discussed. Last, findings and recommendations are made that are intended to protect and enhance the natural and cultural resources of Littleton.

Natural Resources

The natural resources of a community are the environmental features and conditions that lie within the towns’ borders. , The natural resources of Littleton are a key factor that shaped the origins of the community. Sometimes a resource will be one of unique natural beauty that needs to be preserved so that it will continue to serve as an asset to the community. Other times a resource will be a naturally occurring phenomenon that promises a source of economic prosperity.

Littleton covers about 16.5 square miles of gently rolling hills in northwest Middlesex County. The elevation above sea level ranges between 200 and 500 feet with the higher areas located mostly toward the western end of town.

The National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) identifies four major soil types. Nearly 60 percent of Littleton is composed of two soil types known as either Paxton-Woodbridge or Hollis-Paxton Associations, both with generally well drained stony soil, and often with hardpan, bedrock, and/or rock outcrops. The conditions of both of these soil types tend to pose limitations on higher density development. One third of Littleton is composed of sandy gravely soils known as Hinkley-Merrimack-Gravel Pit-Made Land Associations. Most of these areas are located west of Route 495, pose few geologic limitations for development and are responsible for the current active mining operations in town. The remaining 10 percent of Littleton in composed of Muck-Fresh Water Associations that are found around the local lakes and wet areas. Development on these soil types tends to be limited due to high water content.

About one quarter of Littleton’s land area is classified by the NRCS as either “Prime” or “Locally Important” for agricultural uses. However, current agricultural activities are not strongly correlated with these areas. A special geologic feature of note lies in the towns’ northeast corner. Oak Hill was glacially formed and the hill rises to 504 feet. From the open “Summit Rock” affords panoramic views of the area. Nearby lies Tophet Chasm, this drops to a depth of 80 feet and is the remains of an ancient waterfall. Tophet Swamp lies at the bottom of the now dormant waterfall and provides a uniquely acidic environment for unusual plant life.

The Landscape Inventory places Littleton in the “Upper Nashua Valley–Shrewsbury Ridge Unit” and identifies both “Distinctive” and “Noteworthy” areas with regard to landscape character. Open Space Workshops involving citizen participation, also identified significant landscape character including; orchard areas between Nagog and Fort Ponds, the Frost/Whitcomb property for it’s views and historic features, and land north of Long Pond for its significance as a wildlife refuge.

Two major watersheds lie within town. The SuAsCo basin drains southern areas into the Assabet River, which then joins the Concord River. In the northern regions of town Beaver and Bennets Brooks drain into Stony Brook, this eventually joins the Merrimac River. The Stony Brook Watershed Association is a volunteer organization that keeps vigil over these areas.

Water and wetlands occupy over 1000 acres in town. About half of Nagog Pond, located on the Acton Littleton town line, lies within Littleton. It is the towns’ largest waterbody and functions as the water supply for the town of Concord (under contract for 99 years). Other significant waterbodies include Cobbs Pond, Forge Pond, Fort and Mill Ponds, Spectacle Pond and Long Lake. There are protected lands on each body of water providing at a minimum passive recreational access, where it is compatible with water supply interests. More extensive public access, and the town’s only public beach, is at Long Lake on lands managed by the Parks and Recreation Department and Conservation Commission.

Wetlands are associated with most of the lakes and ponds in town. Littleton’s most valuable wetland is associated to Beaver Brook and forms an east-to-west greenbelt that spans the width of town. Two of the three town wells and three future well sites lie within this area. The quality of the towns’ ground water has been good, but surface water quality has been variable. The State Department of Environmental Protection rates surface water quality on a scale that ranges from 0 (least severe) to 18 (most severe). Littleton’s inventoried water quality is shown on the following table.

Table 5 ‑ 1 Littleton Surface Water Quality

Source; Open Space and Recreation Plan, 1996

Fort Pond was assessed in 1980 and the restoration feasibility of Forge Pond and Long Lake were studied in 1990. DEP studies have suggested actions that the town could make water quality improvements, but issues of land ownership and public access for all, have been complicating efforts.

The Littleton Clean Lakes Committee (CLC) is actively involved with efforts to clean up and restore three of the town’s bodies of water. This committee was established as a result of the study conducted on Long Lake in 1990 with help from the Light and Water Department. With completion of the study, there was no formal entity in place to effectively oversee its ongoing management. When funding ran out, implementation of the plan stopped. By 1997 residents around Mill Pond saw a need for an organized effort to solve sedimentation and weed growth problems in their pond. With this, the Light and Water Department organized coordinated efforts comprised of citizens from both groups to form the Littleton Lakes Coalition. In 1998 residents from the Spectacle Pond area became involved in support of the restoration of that water body, and the CLC as it is known today took shape.

Littleton Light and Water is now actively involved with the CLC and effectively coordinates the pursuit of grant money for studies and restorations. The community has also been very responsive in voting the approval of additional funding that often matches some portion of grant funding. With this arrangement, the CLC and Littleton Light and Water have been very successful at attaining outside funding for much of the work and improving the quality of life with only modest expense to the community.

At this time, all three lakes have completed diagnostic feasibility studies that determine the costs and best course of action for restoration. Since Long Lake was first to be studied, clean up activity is to begin in the summer of 2001. With the numerous lakeside homes, water quality is compromised by non-point sources. Clean up efforts will include aquatic plant reduction efforts and land-based implementation of “Best Management Practices” (BMP’s) that will reduce future water quality impacts. Mill Pond, affected by eutrification, is currently about to begin a permitting process to implement dredging, however land ownership issues of the pond bed are complicating this process. Spectacle Pond, affected by a combination of natural eutrification and non-point source pollution, is expected to have aquatic plant reduction efforts and BMP implementations with the help of Department of Environmental Management funding attained through the town of Ayer.

The remaining water bodies in town are not currently addressed by the CLC. This is the case for one of two reasons. Either there simply is not an organized interest by the adjacent landowners, or there is currently no public access to the water. Since the CLC operates in the interest of the community as a whole, their policy has determined that public access is a key factor that directs their efforts.

Littleton vegetative growth is typical to the region. Woodlands are predominantly Oak, interspersed with Pine, Hemlock, Beech, Maple and Birch. The mixture of woodlands, open fields, orchards and developed areas provide a variety of environments. The largest area of undeveloped land is bordered by Route 2, Harwood Avenue, Foster Street and Boxborough Road, and very little of it is permanently protected. The Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program lists two endangered plants, the Green Rock Cress and the Purple Milkweed, but neither has been observed in the community for many years.

Wildlife in Littleton typically includes the state bird the Black-Capped Chickadee, raccoons, rabbits, woodchucks and a host of other birds and small wildlife. As with the recent regional phenomenon, larger wildlife will occasionally be seen, including deer and possibly an isolated coyote or moose. Wood frogs, painted turtles and other common reptiles and amphibians are found in wet areas. The State Department of Fish and Wildlife supplement the natural populations of Brook Trout by stocking Beaver Brook and Bennetts Brook.

The Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program have identified three areas of rare wetland wildlife and a species of special concern. The Blue Spotted Salamander was found in Littleton in 1993. The Marbled Salamander was last seen in Littleton in 1980. The American Bittern and the Coastal Barrens Buckmoth, both classified as threatened in Massachusetts were last spotted over 70 years ago in Littleton.

The major environmental concerns in Littleton are those that relate to rapid growth. New development is a continual process in town that is placing an ever-increasing burden on the natural environment. As new development takes place, the natural habitat for plant and animal life is disappearing. Additional environmental stresses result as greater amounts of water are being withdrawn from the ground for human consumption, while more lawn runoff and private septic systems are releasing greater amounts of chemicals and nutrients back into the ecosystem.

Littleton residents who have participated in the preparation of this Master Plan as well as other local planning documents have consistently stressed that the preservation of open space and the environment are a high priority. Thus far, the town has done a reasonably good job of managing new growth. It is anticipated that Littleton will continue to respond to the desires of the citizenry, but all parties must be aware that innovative solutions will become more important, and since they are new ideas, greater vigilance will be required when they are implemented.

Cultural Resources

The cultural resources of a community are a collective group of artifacts, unique conditions, and current activities that are a product of the interests of past and present society. Occurring sometimes intentionally, and other times by chance, these conditions give a community much of its identity.

The Littleton Common area retains much of its New England village character with tree-lined streets, small shops in older detached buildings, and numerous well-kept older homes. Most densely developed residential areas are near Littleton Common or around Long Lake. Homes clustered around Long Lake, Mill Pond And Forge Pond reflect the character of a one-time vacation area with smaller lots and many modest “summer camp”-style houses, virtually all of which, have been converted to year-round residences.

Areas across I-495, to the north, tend to have a more rural character and are generally less densely populated, with the exception of a residential node clustered around Forge Pond. Most areas in town show evidence of past prolific agricultural activity, where now few farms remain and rolling open land has been given over to numerous subdivisions with spacious homes and expansive lawns. While development is transforming the community character from rural and more toward suburban, Littleton still has some significant tracts of open land, which are greatly valued by the community.

Almost one third of the town’s total land area is currently regarded as open space. Approximately half of this dedicated open space is used for agriculture, forestry, or recreational uses by the current owners. About 40% of Littleton is presently undeveloped. Regional development pressures will likely transform more of these parcels to new residential, commercial and other “urban” uses in the coming years.

As with much of the northeastern United States, this region has been identified by many as the ideal location to live, work and play. Littleton has the distinction of being able to suit all these needs and still retain the flavor of a small New England town. Many of the older homes and farms of Littleton are New England vernacular architectural styles that are rich in historic appeal. The attractive character that gives Littleton it’s charm, also brings pressure for changes in land use of its remaining pastoral acreage. As new homes and support services develop, measures should be taken that will preserve this appeal.

Littleton benefits from several municipal and private entities that offer cultural activities to the community. Some are resources typically found in most communities, while another is unique to Littleton. Each of these resources is discussed below.

The Littleton Cultural Council is responsible for disbursement of the money for local projects of artistic and cultural merit. Funding is provided for perspective projects in the form of grants given to those who apply. Activities such as the Fourth of July Town Picnic, School and Library programs, as well as support to area museums and cultural facilities are often awarded the funds.

The Council receives funding from the Commonwealth Megabuck’s Lottery coffers. Additional private donations to the Council are also accepted. The Littleton annual report for 1999 states that requests through grant applications exceeded $14,000, while the Council received only about $3000 in state funds. As was also stated in the town report, ‘the choices for who received grant monies were difficult to make, but the Council tried to ensure that all segments of the population would be able to benefit from the decisions’.

The public Library is a community-based center for the free sharing of literature, knowledge and culture. As discussed in the services and facilities element the total amount has been growing and the format evolving. To keep pace with these changes, this institution has been working hard. According to the 1999 Town Report, Reuben Hoar Public Library loaned or renewed 107,248 items to the public in that year. Information not readily available at the Library can be obtained through its alliance with the Merrimac Valley Library Consortium, which provides access to collections in 29 other area libraries and on-line access to full-text databases of magazine articles and reference books.

Library services are a valuable asset to all segments of the community and provide the resources necessary for school research projects, enriching entertainment, general reference on numerous matters and enlightenment on many historical and cultural phenomena. The Library provides Littleton with access to literature, educational material, general information and many forms of media including videotapes, compact disks and the Internet. From 1,500 to 3,000 new items are added to the library collection each year. In addition to the loan of materials the Library offers a number of community services and cultural events that enhance the local quality of life.

The Parks and Recreation Commission should be included in this part of the plan because in a sense, they represent a nexus between the natural and cultural aspect of the community. While sports and recreation may not typically be considered by some as a cultural activity, the social connections made by participants can bond to become amongst the strongest factions of the community. Exercise, recreation and the related outdoor experience, underscores the importance of the natural environment that is so highly regarded in Littleton.

The Parks and Recreation Commission oversees town parks and playing fields, and coordinates programs and activities that are available to residents who wish to participate. The Commission is responsive to changing recreational needs as specific segments of the population grow and activity preferences evolve. The Commission usually has from 50 to 100 activities to offer at any time of year. The popularity of some activities has increased dramatically in the last few years, such as Soccer, while interest in Football has been in decline. At Camp Tahattawan outdoor activities including swimming lessons are conducted in the summer months in a natural setting.

Departmental activities provide direct enhancements to the health and quality-of-life of the population, service delivery is reliant on needs communicated by citizen participants. The Parks and Recreation Commission maintain a policy that no citizen of Littleton shall be refused participation in a program because of an inability to pay the fee.

The Council on Aging offers numerous services and enrichment activities to the senior population. The Council oversees programs including a social day program, thrift shop, Alzheimer Identification (in cooperation with the Police), Spring Fling (in cooperation with Light and Water), and a volunteer run senior-oriented local cable TV show. The Council arranges special events such as monthly field trips and holiday events. Other basic wellness efforts include assistance filling out medical paperwork, tax preparation assistance, a daily lunch program and several other health screenings. These services are available to any local resident who is greater than 59 years of age.

The community at large should also consider the members of the senior population as a resource to the past, as many active participants in Council activities were witness to historical events in town. This is an opportunity where the Council can give back to the community and provide further cultural enrichment to all of Littleton.

The Littleton Lyceum, first founded in 1829 is said to be the oldest continuous Lyceum in the country. This organization has brought lecturers and entertainment to the local citizenry for over 170 years. Several programs each season are offered and partially funded by the purchase of a ticket, or seasons pass, and are held at the Junior/Senior High School Auditorium. Additional support is also derived from the proceeds of a trust established in 1920 by Abbie A. Tuttle. The Lyceum is committed to providing informative, enlightening, and affordable entertainment to the community and encourages the participation and volunteerism of all.

The Indian Hill Music Center was founded in 1985, and is located on Ayer Road on land abutting the site of the new High School. It is a non-profit regional center for music education and performance. Their mission is to offer music enlightenment, education and performances to people of all ages. The center educates about 1300 students from Littleton and the surrounding communities with a staff of 70 instructors that have been drawn from around the world. The Center also offers about 20 excellent performances of dance and music per year.

The Music Center is growing and has recently begun construction of a $1.2 million recital hall. Over 75% of the Center’s budget is supported by direct revenue, but the remainder comes from donations that include area town cultural councils, such as Littleton’s described above.

Representatives at the Center have expressed interest in discussing creative endeavors with any segment of the community. Unique collaboration could be developed to bolster music and performance arts education in the Littleton public school system, and if arrangements could be made, it would be fortuitous that the Center is located next to the new High School site. Resources at Littleton Public Access Cable Television are also a place where new collaborative scenarios could begin. Other entities where collaborative possibilities may exist are the Park and Recreation Commissions, proposed teen drop-in center program, and the local Council on Aging.

Historic Resources

v Inventory of Significant Historic Resources

Some of the appeal that spurs new growth in Littleton is the small town character that follows a pattern set over 200 years ago. Many local citizens support the preservation of this character either actively through community groups or more passively through ownership and upkeep of historic structures.

In 1998 the Littleton Historical Commission completed the first phase of a historical resources inventory. The inventory, which identified 110 of the most significant historic properties in town, was funded by a grant from the National Park Service, the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Massachusetts Historical Commission. Phase I of the Historic Resource Inventory is housed and available for public viewing at the town library. Inventory content was compiled by consultant Diane Siergiej of the Commonweal Collaborative, who discovered 13 colonial era properties that were previously unknown to the Massachusetts Historic Commission. All 110 properties identified during this phase of the inventory have been recorded with the Commission and 17 properties have been recommended for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. Since these properties can be considered the most historically significant sites in town, they are listed on the following table:

The Historic Commission is currently completing phase II of the inventory utilizing town warrant funds, and it documents an additional 90 local properties. Criteria for inclusion into the list roughly followed state guidelines that consider any structure over 50 years old that has remained relatively intact with respect to its original design and layout. Historic interests in the community believe that the completion of Phase II of the inventory will document every historically significant property in town. A completed and succinct historic inventory will also provide a basis upon which further preservation efforts can be made.

Table 5‑ 2 Properties Recommended for nomination to National Historic Register.

Source; Littleton Historic Resource Inventory, 1998

Littleton’s historic resources are the identity of the community’s character. It is important to preserve and even enhance these resources wherever possible. Over the years, the community has experienced both successes and failures with regard to the sensitivity and preservation of its historic resources that affect the town’s individuality.

Character preservation successes include the Conant Mill Building, located at 410 Great Road, which is a good local example of modern commercial reuse of an older industrial structure. Preservation of the Rosewood House, through cooperative efforts with CVS and philanthropic individuals has also had a positive outcome. Community members have also stated that, while not significantly old, the Donelan’s Market Building, on Great Road, has been thoughtfully designed to integrate well with the local character. Each of these examples shows that there is interest in the community to preserve and promote local historic character.

Other examples of past activity in town demonstrate situations where historic or character preservation was not considered. Some structures in Littleton Center that have not been so carefully matched to the local character include the more contemporary looking bank buildings and auto service stations that have been built in recent years. These structures were built as such because there was no mechanism in place to exhort influence over their ultimate appearance.

An additional potential threat to local character is the minimum standards required for traffic movement in Littleton Center as roadway intersections require upgrades that will accommodate new traffic demands. This issue regards the public safety and the standards must be met, but the interest of community character preservation should be considered when new design alternatives are proposed.

As pressures for new homes and services mount, long standing structures and layouts that the local community has come to identify with, may become imperiled. Conversation with any of Littleton’s long-time residents will detail what was once there, but is now gone forever. In order for the community to be prepared to protect and enhance local character, a series of land planning and design “tools” must be in place and ready for use when a new proposal is presented.

One such tool is the demolition delay bylaw, which has recently been enacted into the town-zoning bylaw. While it does not fully prohibiting a landowner from razing a potentially significant structure, this provision can provide a window of opportunity to seek other alternatives for the eventual outcome of a situation. Demolition delay is an important and primary tool to help preserve local character.

Another tool that can be very effective to preserve historic character is Design Review. When automatically triggered by a particular use proposal, Design Review can creatively address specific local character concerns. Response to a proposal can be fine tuned in a hierarchical fashion so that a particular pre-determined use will warrant a certain degree of review. Drive-through operations and similar high-traffic uses typically receive the highest level of review. Restaurants and auto service stations are then usually subject to the second highest level of review. As long as certain predetermined criteria are met, new construction can harmoniously subsist and even enhance neighborhood character.

Transfer of Development Rights (TDR), which is recommended in the land use element of this plan, can be used to enhance village character, while also working to preserve open space elsewhere in town. Using Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) a village lot can be utilized to a degree of intensity that is the same as adjacent historic structures. TDR used in concert with Design Review this way, can yield a result that not only emulates the character of a historic village, but it can even heighten overall effect by infilling gaps in the neighborhood that may have been created in the more recent past. Ancillary site needs, such as parking and loading areas can be relegated to less visible areas and accessed by side or rear doors.

In the past, an effort was made in the community to create a historic district in the area of Littleton Common. The plan was well thought out and the community’s best interest was at its core. However its ratification was narrowly defeated at a late-night vote. Since that time, new development has taken place and commercial interests have updated their business within current guidelines to better meet customer demand. The community at large needs to understand that unless some kind of controls are in place, this evolution will continue at the cost of community character.

Preservation and enhancement of local character is the most assured through the use of an Historic District, but it’s enactment can only take place with the full endorsement of individuals from within the area to be designated in addition to more general community-wide support. For this to occur, the defining characteristics of the district must accommodate the needs of those who will live by its words on a daily basis. While it may be prudent to revitalize efforts to create a historic district in Littleton Center, it will be necessary to foster openness about needs and concerns regarding those who will be most affected by its parameters.

In contemplation of a historic district, some basic considerations must be made. The district can be created to strictly limit activity or it can be crafted with less stringent parameters. Language limiting flexibility will be more likely to be met with opposition, while a more lax district may prove deficient to bring the desired result. With this, it is essential to skillfully define the parameters of a historic district proposal so that objectives are met while still allowing daily activities to prosper within. It also needs to be understood exactly what amount of an area is actually historic. It needs to be realistically understood as to what in the village exists to provide the strongest elements of historic character. In Littleton there are a significant number of historic homes and commercial structures, but village character has been compromised by more recent development.

Outside of Littleton Village, local historic character is predominantly represented by rolling farmlands and older homes. While the integrity of historic homes around town are likely to be preserved by those living in them, recommendations made in the land use element will work to protect open space and agrarian character. One such Land Use recommendation regards utilization of the Community Preservation Act, which through a voter approved real estate transfer surcharge, can make funds available to preserve historic character.

Findings

v Natural Resources Findings

Those who live here have consistently noted preservation of the natural setting of Littleton as a major concern. Ironically, the appeal of the surroundings attracts new residents that in turn bring increased pressures on the natural environment. With new development, open space, water resources and wildlife habitat are threatened.

Alternative forms of development, such as clusters and development right transfers that set aside open space in perpetuity can preserve the environment while still accommodating new growth. However soil conditions in Littleton are not consistently the best for the concentrated discharges that may result if proper treatment is not designed in from the outset of a project. Cluster and open space developments may actually prove a better match for sites with mixed soil conditions because shared septic systems, which tend to be more stringently designed and monitored, can be located on the site where soil conditions are most suitable.

Much of the focus of this master planning process has been oriented around land use and the desire to protect and enhance the natural resources in the community. Therefore the recommendations made in the Land Use element should be reviewed with regard to natural resources described in the first part of this chapter.

Littleton is endowed with the cultural resources found in most similar communities. Town resources including the Cultural Council, Library, Parks and Recreation, the Council on Aging and the Littleton Lyceum all provide valuable enhancements to the quality of life. Generally, each of these resources are operating smoothly with citizen volunteerism, funding and ongoing growth as their respective target population dictates.

The Cultural Council functions to disburse money to worthwhile cultural grant applicants largely funded by a small state contribution. The council is also available to receive and disperse additional donations that may be made by members of the general public.

The Library, Parks and Recreation Commission, and the Council on Aging benefit from donations of appropriate goods and services in addition to town funds. Since all town cultural resources are socially interactive all those involved with each entity should remain vigilant for collaborative opportunities where pooled resources will maximize returns.

The Indian Hill Music Center adds an additional cultural feature not typically found in most communities. While opportunities at the center are available to all area communities, Littleton should take special pride that the center is located in town. Due to the location advantage, collaborative opportunities beyond those already in place, between the center and other town cultural resources should be investigated. Possible collaborative activity between the Center and the school system music department should especially be considered.

It is understood that Littleton’s historic character is highly regarded by many of its citizens. Similar to its natural resources, the historic character has also served to make the community attractive to new residents. Now, like the natural resources, this attraction potentially threatens historic character. At this time, there is little to protect the historic character in Littleton. As the population in the community continues to grow new homes and services will come. Measures can be taken to ensure that the ensuing growth will be done in a way that is not detrimental to community character.

Proposals and Recommendations

v Reconsider a Historic District Around Littleton Common.

An historic district is perhaps the best way for an area with historic character to be assured of future protection. Although character preservation has surfaced as an important issue to many in the community, Littleton Common has little in place that will assure the future protection of its historic character.

In order for a historic district proposal to succeed, enactment of the bylaw must have the full support from those who live or own property within its boundaries. For this to occur, these individuals must be confident that their rights to use their property will not be seriously hindered. This can be achieved through education of needs and through iterative dialogue between all who are involved with the process. This effort will also need the support of the community at large as well as support from municipal entities in town. Municipal support may include the provision of meeting space and materials, collaboration of local utilities and services and financial support for necessary tasks.

With this, the Historic Commission should be empowered and assisted to revisit past efforts to create an historic district, make assessments that will help shape a new bylaw proposal and then gather the needed support for it’s success. Other proposals made in this master plan regarding design review (IV-3 and 4), development rights transfers (II-2), and a village center zone district (II-1) can be integrated to support and enhance a historic district proposal. Funding sources developed from utilization of the Community Preservation Act (II-5) may also be applicable to some aspects of this effort.

The Littleton Historical Commission in cooperation with the Massachusetts Historical Commission should take steps to get the Common itself on the National Historic Register to protect it against inroads should Mass Highway seek to widen highways passing through and near the Common. Further the Commission should take steps to increase the awareness of residents about the Common and the role it has played and still plays in our town.

This comment is independent of the recommendation already in the proposed Master Plan to create a historic district around the common.