Press Releases

Festival of Trees Awards Matching Grant
to Salem (NH) Historical Society

$10,000 matching grant donated to help preserve historical Salem Depot.

METHUEN, Mass., Sept 30, 2008 – The Festival of Trees has awarded a $10,000 matching grant to the Salem Historical Society to be used for the restoration of the Salem Depot Train Station.  This donation is part of the Historic Preservation and Restoration Grant Program designed to provide preservation funding to private non-profit organizations, private businesses housed in a historic property, cities and towns, and other public entities.  Attendees to the annual Festival of Trees holiday event are encouraged to cast their vote for their town to be considered for a grant to help fund a restoration/preservation project in their town.  Salem, NH received the most votes during the 2007 Festival and was awarded the matching grant. 

 “Our goal has always been to be a catalyst for historic preservation in our community and we wanted to expand the efforts to other cities or towns to help raise awareness its importance,” said Maureen Pollard, President of the Methuen Festival of Trees. “We are thrilled to be able to assist in preserving such an important historical building as the Salem Depot.”

Built in 1867, the Salem Depot Train Station was the focal point in the town of Salem, NH when daily trains were transporting freight, passengers and animals to their various destinations.  Centered halfway between Boston and Concord, NH, the Salem Depot was the stop where most travelers took a brief rest during their journey.  The years and elements have taken a toll on this historical landmark and thanks to a group of Salem, NH residents and businesses that joined together to form the Salem Depot Restoration Committee, the revival began this year.

This project, funded solely through donations, has hit a few stumbling blocks during this process.  When it came time to tackle a new roof they realized they were low on funds and would have to put the project on hold.

“A miracle happened when the Festival of Trees came forward and saved the day,” said Beverly Glynn, Chairman of the Salem Historic Commission.  “Their generous donation allowed us to complete a new roof and weatherize the exterior of the depot which was key to preserving the exterior of the building.”

Since its inception in 1994, The Festival of Trees has provided more than $750,000 for public historic restoration projects including the Tenney Gate House, a large portion of the Searles and Tenney granite walls, the Masonic Lodge, the Bell Tower on the grounds of the former Searles Estate and the tomb of Mary Francis Hopkins Searles.  Both North Andover, MA and Salem, NH have been awarded the Preservation Grant since the expansion.

About the Methuen Festival of Trees

The Festival of Trees was begun to fund the restoration of the Tenney Gatehouse.  It is a magical event held annually by the Methuen Festival of Trees, Inc., to celebrate the spirit of the holiday season. The Festival is dedicated to the richness and history of our community by developing partnerships with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the City of Methuen, the Methuen Historic District Commission, the Methuen Historical Society, and the people and organizations of Methuen. The proceeds from the Festival of Trees provide funding to preserve our heritage and the monuments that make Methuen so unique.  To date, $750,000 has been raised to fund local preservation projects.

North Andover Library Benefits from Major Spring Cleaning

By Drake Lucas
Staff writer Eagle Tribune

The library is receiving a makeover this month with new windows, a repaired roof and a restored entryway.

Director Mary Rose Quinn said the library won't close, but people will need to use the entrance by the children's room on Davis Street until the front is finished. "It will be a little noisy and a little dusty, but we will be open throughout the entire project," she said.

The windows and roof will be paid for with $95,000 of Community Preservation money, which comes from a 3 percent surcharge added to property tax bills. Quinn said the 17 window replacements, a third of which are original to the 1907 building and the addition from the 1960s, will be a noticeable change. "If you have looked at the windows recently, they are beginning to look sad and the paint is peeling. The brickwork around them is starting to crumble," she said. The brick around the windows will be redone and the paint will be freshened up.

Quinn said the roof repair will mean the staff can stop putting out buckets to catch drips when it rains. She said once the roof is fixed, she can plan to redo walls and ceilings that were damaged by the leaks.

The money for the entrance restoration comes from a $10,000 grant from the Methuen Festival of Trees, which will be matched by the library trustees.

The heavy oak doors and their frames are original to the building. They will be repaired and resealed. The limestone around the doors, which includes a relief of cherubs with an open book, will be cleaned. Quinn said all of the projects should be finished by the end of the month.

Festival of Trees Calls for Applications for
Methuen Historic Preservation Grant Program

METHUEN, Mass., May 26, 2008 – The Festival of Trees is now accepting applications for its Methuen Historic Preservation Grant Program. This reimbursement program is designed to provide preservation funding of up to $10,000 to private non-profit organizations, private businesses housed in a historic property, individual homeowners of  historic homes, including those listed on the Massachusetts or national  historic registers, and public City entities.

“Over the last 13 years,  our organization has been instrumental in restoring the history and beauty of  the city of Methuen," said Maureen Pollard, President of the Methuen Festival  of Trees.  “Our goal has always been to be a catalyst for historic preservation in our community.”

Since its inception in 1994, The Festival of Trees has provided more than $700,000 for public historic restoration projects including the Tenney Gate House, a large portion of the Searles and Tenney granite walls, the Masonic Lodge, the Tower of Angels on  the grounds of the former Searles Estate and the tomb of Mary Francis Hopkins Searles. The First Church Congregational in Methuen is a recent grant recipient and is using the funds to complete Phase One of the church’s historic organ restoration.

Grant applications and criteria may be requested by calling the Festival of Trees at 978-685-8878.

For Immediate Release - March 14, 2008 

Festival of Trees Awards $1,000 Children’s Grant to Comprehensive Grammar School

The Festival of Trees has awarded a $1,000 Grant to the first grade classes at the Comprehensive Grammar School in Methuen to be used for their field trip to the Franklin Park Zoo in June.  This is the second year that the Festival has solicited grant applications from local schools and children’s organizations, and the second year the award has been made.

“We are so pleased to receive this donation from the Festival,” comments Brandi Kwong, supervising principal of the school  “It helps to defray the costs of this important field trip, which we want the children to experience as a vital part of their Science Curriculum Frameworks.”

For the past two years, the Festival of Trees has sent out grant applications to 50-60 children’s organizations prior to the beginning of the event, which takes place each year for two weeks during November and December.  A list of qualified applicants is available and displayed at the Festival and attendees are encouraged to vote for the most deserving children’s project.  

“Children are so much a part of the magic of the Festival of Trees. Our Festival organization likes to do something special every year for our youngest supporters!  This grant represents our contribution to some deserving students,” explains Festival Vice-President Eileen Hayes.