South End Historical Society facts for kids
The South End Historical Society (often called SEHS) is a group that helps take care of the historic South End neighborhood in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It started in 1966. This group works to protect old buildings and make the neighborhood a great place to live and visit.
What Does the South End Historical Society Do?
The SEHS is a non-profit group. This means it doesn't make money for itself. Instead, it uses its money to help the community. Its main job is to keep the South End's beautiful old buildings safe and looking good. This is called "preserving the built environment." They also help to make the neighborhood better, which is called "revitalization."
Protecting Historic Buildings
The South End is very special because it has many old Victorian-style rowhouses. In 1972, the whole South End neighborhood was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a special list in the United States that recognizes important historic places. The South End is the largest area in the country with these types of Victorian houses still standing.
Later, in 1983, the South End became a Boston Landmark District. This was decided by the Boston Landmarks Commission. Being a landmark district means there are rules to protect the buildings. If someone wants to change a building in the South End, they need to get approval first. This helps make sure the neighborhood keeps its historic look and feel.
How the SEHS Helps
Since it began, the SEHS has worked hard to keep the South End's buildings looking as they did when they were first built. This is called keeping their "architectural integrity." The group does many things to help:
- They support research to learn more about the history of the buildings.
- They help with conservation, which means taking care of and repairing old structures.
- They provide education to teach people about the South End's history and its important buildings.
All these efforts help to protect and promote interest in the local historic buildings, monuments, and public squares in the South End.
