Cisco Homestead receives Grafton historic preservation funds
The history of the Hassanamisco Reservation is intertwined with Grafton, the town that grew up around it.
As Grafton grew larger, the Native American population grew smaller, as did the reservation established for the “Praying Indians” by the Rev. John Eliot in 1654. The Hassanamisco Reservation is now only three acres of land on Brigham Hill Road owned by the Nipmuc Nation. The reservation is unique in Massachusetts — it has never been owned by non-Native people.
Town Meeting on Monday voted to appropriate $45,000 from CPC funds to continue the preservation of the Cisco Homestead, the main building on the property and the past and future home of a museum dedicated to the tribe’s history. Funds will be used to create interior plans, drawings, and architectural specification for the building’s interior.
Several residents questioned why Nipmuc Nation has requested funding from CPC, money raised by real estate sales in town that may only be used for open space, affordable housing, and historic preservation. Some suggested that bottle drives and bake sales, like those held by Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, should be attempted to fund more of the renovation.
Rae Gould, representing the tribe, said the costs for the project are due to the historic nature of the site and the lack of firms with experience in such a preservation project.
“We don’t have a lot of resources,” Gould said of the tribe.
The Cisco Homestead was built in 1891 and restoration of the structure began in the early part of this decade. The land is the home of the tribe’s cultural practices, including the annual Hassanamisco Indian Fair held in July. The homestead was used as a museum and educational space from 1962 to the mid-80s.
Jim Gallagher, vice chairman of the CPC, noted the town has a preservation restriction on the property.
“We are supporting the Nipmuc Nation this town was built on,” Gallagher said. “We are restoring a national treasure. If it’s lost, it can never be replaced.”
