Within the thousands of acres of the Commonwealth’s Forests and Parks are a number of unused, historically significant buildings with enormous potential for adaptive reuse. Over time, these properties have fallen prey to the elements and vandalism. The Historic Curatorship Program, in DCR's Office of Cultural Resources, was established in 1994 to address this issue through a unique public private partnership. Through the program, DCR partners with a Curator who agrees to rehabilitate, manage and maintain a historic property in return for a long-term lease. As a result, DCR secures the long term preservation of some of the Commonwealth's most threatened historic sites and Curators, from non-profits to families to businesses, enjoy the benefits of living and working in a one of a kind location, exchanging their hard work and unique skills for the opportunity to live or work in a one-of-a-kind location.

Curators are selected through an open and competitive process and proposed reuses must be compatible with the historic and natural character of the surrounding park or forest. Proposals are also required to provide a public benefit beyond the rehabilitation of the property, including, at a minimum, allowing public access to the property at least twice a year. Over thirty properties are eligible for the program, from mansions on the North Shore to cottages in the Berkshires, and average lease terms range from 20 to 30 years. To date, fourteen of the program’s properties are under agreement, totaling an investment to date of over $12 million from the private sector in state-owned historic properties.

Contact Us:
Historic Curatorship Program
Department of Conservation and Recreation
251 Causeway St.
Suite 600-700
Boston, MA 02114

HCP.Requests@state.ma.us