Every Effort Should Be Made to Keep Steadman Houses in Their Original Form
To the Editor:
When I was in third or fourth grade in Nassau Street School, we were taught a lot about Princeton. We took walking tours of various areas of the town, and were told of the historic significance related to them. I doubt we appreciated a lot of what Mrs. Taylor was telling us; but having had the privilege of living in and around Princeton for almost 60 years, a lot of that history became meaningful.
Now I read in the Town Topics Mailbox that several of the houses built by Charles Steadman are in danger of being “renovated” [“Historical Integrity of Steadman Houses on Alexander Street Needs to Be Preserved,” July 10]. These houses, their history, their architecture, and their proximity to one another offer a glimpse of Princeton’s history. I also read about constant requests to alter the original buildings in other parts of town.
History can be erased by a thousand small cuts. Every effort should be made to reach an accommodation to keep the Steadman houses in their original form. Fittingly, the editorial heading in the July 21, 2024 Maine Sunday Telegram reads, “We don’t know what we’ve got till it’s gone.”