Judith Truesdell: What’s historical about the Zion Korean Church?

The Dec. 11 Recorder reported that the Historical Commission, under Greenfield’s demolition-delay ordinance, was going to delay demolition of the former Zion Korean Church because the church, which is now owned by the YMCA, was historically significant.

“According to the city’s demolition-delay ordinance, if the commission determines the demolition of a building would be ‘detrimental to the historical or architectural heritage’ of the city, it can enact a … delay” etc.

What is the historical heritage in this case? As I understand it, the historical significance of the building was that it was a meeting place during the abolitionist movement. However, those meetings did not take place in Greenfield, but in the town from which the building was moved prior to the flooding that created Quabbin Reservoir. Therefore, logically, there would be no historical heritage in Greenfield associated with this building and no historical district where it is located.

Perhaps someone could explain what right the Historical Commission has to claim jurisdiction in this case.

Judith Truesdell

Greenfield