The Bancroft School (also known as the Coolidge School) at 12 Bancroft St. has been considered for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places at the Massachusetts Historical Commission’s Sept. 9 meeting.

The National Register of Historic Places is the federal government’s official list of properties considered worthy of preservation. National Register recognition acknowledges the importance of historic resources and can help preserve the nation’s, and Maynard’s, historic heritage. This will be Maynard’s second National Register property, as Glenwood Cemetery was placed on the list in 2004.

What Does National Register Listing Mean?

There has always been confusion about historically significant properties, and the National Register is no different. The designation does not mean the federal government or state takes control of a property or imposes restrictions simply because the property is listed. Public visitation is not required, and there are no restrictive covenants on a privately owned property. An owner of a National Register property may generally continue to use the property as they wish. Certain requirements can apply when federal or state funds, permits, licensing, rehabilitation tax credits or other governmental programs are involved, as well as when separate local or regional regulations apply.

In other words, National Register recognition is fundamentally about acknowledging the historic significance of a property, not taking away the rights of its owner.

A Massachusetts Connection

There is an additional benefit to the nomination process in Massachusetts. Properties nominated to the National Register are automatically listed in the Massachusetts State Register of Historic Places.

According to the Massachusetts Historical Commission, State Register listing also does not impose public visitation requirements or restrictive covenants on privately owned properties. For properties owned by municipalities and nonprofit organizations, State Register recognition can also provide an opportunity to compete for state historic preservation grants.

The Community Is Invited to Participate

The Bancroft School nomination will be considered at the Massachusetts Historical Commission’s public meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 9, at 1 p.m. The commission has invited interested members of the public to attend. Information about how to participate will be posted on the Massachusetts Historical Commission’s website closer to the meeting date.

Brief History of the Bancroft School

In 1905, the town voted to spend $18,000 to buy land and build a four-room, one-story brick school. The building opened for the 1906-07 school year with four classrooms on the main floor and an assembly hall and furnaces below.

In 1911, a second floor with four more classrooms was added to accommodate a surge in local student enrollment driven by the expanding woolen mills. If you look closely at the building, you can see where the second story was added. In 1932, the name of the school was changed to the Calvin Coolidge School, and it operated until its closure in 1981.

Why This Matters to Maynard

Historic preservation is about much more than individual buildings. Our historic properties provide tangible connections to the people, businesses, institutions and events that shaped Maynard. The Bancroft School is one piece of that larger story.

Consideration of the property for the National Register provides an opportunity for the community to learn more about its history and to recognize its place within Maynard’s historic landscape.

The Maynard Historical Commission is pleased to see this important step forward in the recognition of one of Maynard’s historic resources.

We encourage residents who are interested in Maynard’s history and preservation to learn more about the nomination and, if they wish, participate in the Massachusetts Historical Commission’s public review process on Sept. 9.

Preserving Maynard’s history begins with recognizing the places that tell its story.