Asked on Wednesday if the city plans to spend money on repairing the historic Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) building on Andrew Street, Lynn Mayor Jared C. Nicholson said he has a “great team looking at funding needs and options.”
We hope that inquiry pays off for the City’s treasure trove of Civil War history and the brick building built in 1885 as a gathering place for Union Army veterans. The GAR building’s outer brick facade is now held in place by an ugly wood beam bracing structure and a “pinning” system has been devised to secure the facade to an inner wall.
Under Curator Wendy Joseph’s stewardship and with support from the Friends of the Grand Army of the Republic Hall and Museum, a capital-needs plan has been crafted for the building.
The GAR can be just the starting point for preserving Lynn’s history resources to ensure their educational value.
With Joseph proving her capable stewardship on Andrew Street; Doneeca Thurston serving as Lynn Museum/LynnArts executive director; and Theresa Hurley proving her worth as city chief librarian, the city is in a great position to highlight its history.
History can be found all over the city, ranging from the intersection signs honoring local veterans to buildings and smaller structures like the fountain at the corner of Nahant and Broad streets where an absurd decision to install a transformer threatens to overwhelm a small, but beautiful park.
By combining their talents, Joseph, Thurston and Hurley can fire up a powerful engine for educating and enlightening all Lynn residents, especially the city’s youngest, about the city’s rich historical heritage and the sacrifices earlier Lynners made to build a great city.
If history isn’t preserved and taught, then historic property and irreplaceable resources, including books, letters, art, photographs, and personal items from previous centuries, are misplaced, thrown out, or destroyed, and lost forever to future generations.
Nicholson sounded hopeful when he pointed to American Rescue Plan Act money and grant money as possible sources for financing for the GAR’s restoration. But municipalities have a finite amount of money to meet the financial requirements dictated by expenses, including public safety, street repairs, school needs, and dozens of other needs.
The mayor’s awareness of the GAR’s needs is a good sign that valuable local history won’t be forgotten when public monies are allocated.
