City of Methuen Master Plan

H ISTORIC AND C ULTURAL R ESOURCES
The City is involved in the preservation and promotion of cultural and historic resources in several ways:
as a repository of information and artifacts, an owner, a funder/space provider, a regulator, an
organizer, and a marketer/educator. Methuen is distinctive in its rich architectural legacy that stems
from its agrarian and industrial past and from the Searles, Tenney and Nevins families and their
contributions. Its historical collections are extensive, and in the City’s possession.
The City’s ongoing and steady support of these resources is critical to their health and well being, and
more importantly, to Methuen’s economic and cultural vitality. As articulated in this plan’s Vision
Statement, appreciation for the City’s historic assets is a deeply felt and shared value that knits the
community together. A continued commitment to historic preservation and an increased emphasis on
“telling Methuen’s story” to broader audiences will protect and enhance the City’s quality of life.
Not only is the City’s history important to its self-image, but thoughtful use of its historic resources will
earn tangible economic rewards. Preservation can make a major contribution to efficient use of
infrastructure, downtown revitalization and sustainable (“green”) development. Historic neighborhoods
today provide every principle upon which Smart Growth is based: mixed use, high density, community
interaction, transportation choices, attractiveness, pedestrian friendliness, tree-lined spaces, diverse
housing, open space, and reduced land consumption. Leveraging Methuen’s past can benefit its future.
CULTURAL RESOURCES
There are several non-profit groups in Methuen dedicated to the pursuit of the arts.
• Methuen Memorial Music Hall
Methuen Young People's Theatre is open to all students in grades 4-12. Throughout each
summer, the group rehearses a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta twice per week and performs in
a fully staged, costumed and decorated production in September.
• Methuen Arts Council administers a grant program funded through the Mass Cultural
Council. In 2006, the Council distributed 19 grants, ranging from $295 to $1,150, to local
artists, non-profit organizations, and school groups.
• North Regional Theatre Workshop: Founded in 1978, this non-for-profit group is
dedicated to providing musical theatre to communities north of Boston. Originally based in
North Reading, the group has been performing in the Great Hall of the Nevins Library since
2004.
• The Nevins Library: Renovated and expanded in 2002, the Nevins Library is at the center
of Methuen’s cultural activities and is a major destination within its downtown. It offers a
wide range of lifelong learning opportunities, and often provides meeting and performance
space for community groups. A private non-profit entity, the Library and its resources are
further discussed in the Public Facilities and Services section of this plan.
Public Art and Sculpture
Four resources located within the City were inventoried in the early 1990’s as part of a nationwide effort
by the group Save Outdoor Sculpture (SOS), numbered and are catalogued by the Smithsonian
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