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THE HISTORY
Bronze Plaques in the Sidewalk on Main Street
Request for Approval to Proceed
Presented to Falmouth Selectmen, June 2000
Art in public places, to stimulate thought and celebrate a community's identity, is common on the streets and in the parks in Boston. Woods Hole has several examples, such as the statue of seated scientists talking together on the MBL lawn, and the small bronze plaques carved with marine life in Waterfront Park. Such art is in short supply in the other villages of Falmouth.
An ad hoc Committee to Encourage Public Art has been considering this situation for nearly two years. This proposal comes from that committee and is intended as a small inaugural project to launch public art in Falmouth villages.
The committee organized a competition among artists to create a design or series of designs for cast bronze plaques to be installed in the sidewalk in the redevelopment area of Main Street between Shore Street and Post Office Road.
Designs:
The jury chose designs by Sarah Peters of Elm Arch Way, Falmouth. Ms. Peters submitted a group of nine designs depicting commercial activities significant in Falmouth's history. She worked closely with the Falmouth Historical Society and other sources. To meet its charge, the jury chose only two of the nine designs, but sentiment in favor of completing the series was present from the start. When the Historic Districts Commission voiced strong support for the full group, the Committee was easily persuaded to work toward realizing the whole, rather than the fraction. Indeed, upon further consideration, two designs were added in order to include two important areas, marine research and strawberry farming, for which Peters had not at first had images.
Placement of the Plaques:
Siting the plaques has been considered at exhaustive length and many alternatives have been reviewed. The conclusion is that the best site is along Main Street sidewalk in the Public Library lawn. Each plaque will be laid in a band of bluestone that traverses the entire walk and extends two feet into the lawn, a design feature to which the Library Board has graciously acquiesced. The actual plaques will be off the sidewalk to protect them from snow and sand removal equipment. Arrangement will be chronological, with the earliest activity, eel fishing, located near the Hamlin Avenue corner, and the most recent one toward the Shore Street corner. The tiles ill be level with the sidewalk, with no deep grooves, to ensure pedestrian safety. The tree warden asserts that the large trees in the area will be unharmed by the installation, which will be professionally done.
The Committee to Encourage Public Art, P.O. Box 646, Falmouth, MA 02541
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