LYNNFIELD — A sign placed at the corner of Main Street and Village Row in July by the Lynnfield Historical Society was removed by the town this week. Town Administrator Rob Dolan said that the sign, which was put up to honor the Rombult family, was not in accordance with the town’s specifications and was removed to ensure uniformity.
Lynnfield finalized a funded plan last year that included replacing multiple signs marking historical locations across the town. Work on the remodeling began with new granite signage being installed at locations including the Town Common, Centre Farm, Original School House, and Town Meeting House.
“We began working on remodeling signs last year,” Dolan said. “We wanted to make the historic signs more visually appealing and uniform across Lynnfield. We have already started putting up signs and branding it into specific sites throughout the community.”
The Lynnfield Historical Society’s “Discover Lynnfield – Walks and Talks” event on July 22 ended with the installation of the sign at the corner of Main Street and Village Row, where the Rombult family owned a farm for 47 years.
However, the sign installed by the society was not in line with the town’s plan.
“That site is historically extremely significant to the town,” Dolan said. “We certainly want to recognize it and it was already in our plan to install a sign there. The sign that was put up in July is not in line with the uniformity we planned to bring. We will install a granite sign in place of that and make the markers of higher quality.”
Lynnfield Historical Society President Ron Sarro and former President Linda Gillon said that the society’s intent was positive, and the organization intended to amplify the “Discover Lynnfield” event and pay homage to the Rombult family with the sign.
“We felt like we did a good deed,” Sarro said. “We have no problem with our sign being replaced with a better sign, but ours was just more cost-effective.”
The Town of Lynnfield severed its ties with the Lynnfield Historical Society a few years ago due to several issues concerning finances and maintenance of the town’s historical buildings.
Dolan, however, said that there is no dispute regarding the installation of signs.
“We share the society’s intent,” Dolan said. “We don’t see it as a conflict. We are replacing the sign because putting in a granite marker speaks to the uniformity across the town and the site is significant to us. So, a new sign will be installed.”
The town will begin installing the new sign this week, along with other signs at sites including the Lynnfield Quarry, Towne Lyne House, and Billy’s Dew Drop Inn.
