Historic District Commission

Meetings

View the 2023 Meeting Schedule (PDF).

Members

  • Joyce Hindle-Koutsogiane, Chair
    Term Expires: December 31, 2024
  • Arthur Schacht, Vice Chair
    Term Expires: December 31, 2024
  • Joseph Santoro, Secretary
    Term Expires: December 31, 2024
  • Kathleen McKenzie
    Term Expires: December 31, 2024
  • Daniel Pedro
    Term Expires: December 31, 2024
  • Gary Pelissier
    Term Expires: December 31, 2024
  • Vacant
    Term Expires: December 31, 2024

View the list of Historic District Commission members (PDF).

Agendas & Minutes

Agendas are available prior to the meetings. Minutes are available following approval.

View Most Recent Agendas and Minutes


Expansion of the Arnold Mills Local Historic District

Originally settled in the mid-eighteenth century and known as East Cumberland, Arnold Mills was a modest-Historic Photo of Arnold Millssized village by the nineteenth century. There was a post office, schoolhouse, Friends Meeting house, Methodist church, and a machine shop. This small village still retains much of its historic character. Located on Nate Whipple Highway in the northeastern corner of Cumberland, much of the village is within a National Register of Historic Places historic district and is widely appreciated for its historical significance and architectural integrity.

The Town of Cumberland was awarded an $8,000 Certified Local Government grant from the RI Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission to hire a consultant to assist in the local designation of the Arnold Mills Historic District and in August 2022 entered into a contract with Epsilon Associates.

Currently, the Arnold Mills Historic Overlay District includes only one structure, the Captain John Walcott House (1720) at 735 Nate Whipple Highway. The Town and consultant will meet with homeowners to discuss local historic designation.

View the recording of the Arnold Mills meeting that was held via Zoom on February 13, 2023.

Historic Cemeteries

The HDC is currently undertaking an assessment of the 40 historic cemeteries located in town. Volunteers are being assembled for clean-up and maintenance of cemeteries that are determined to be in need of it. Updates on the effort will be discussed at Commission meetings.

Take a walk through a historic cemetery in Cumberland and you will find surnames that match street signs and Revolutionary War veterans, a reminder of the Town’s rich history and those that came before.

Historical Cemetery Preservation Workshop

On Saturday, April 29th, 2023, members of the HDC participated in a Historical Cemetery Preservation workshop presented by the North Smithfield Heritage Association and volunteers Kim Walker and Lynne Pelletier. They learned how and participated in cleaning stones using water, D/2 Biological Solution, and soft brushes, raising and setting fallen or depressed gravestones, looking up graves online, and probing for what may be underground and not visible.

Contact Us

If you would like to help or have questions/concerns, email Town Planner Glenn Modica or call 401-728-2400, ext. 146. 

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Documents

  1. Local Historic Districts (PDF)

For Owners of Historic Properties

  1. Application for a Certificate of Appropriateness (PDF)
  2. Cumberland Historic District Property Owner Guide (PDF)

Other Materials

  1. Architectural Survey - 1998 (PDF)
  2. Cumberland Founders and Patriots (PDF)
  3. Cumberland Historical Cemeteries (PDF)
  4. Heritage Park Historical and Archaeological Assessment 1991 (PDF)
  5. Town Hall - 1950 Retrospective (PDF)