A Tiny House... with Big Signifiance!

Storytelling is an integral part of history. Stories teach, they inspire, they motivate, they caution. Stories tell where you have been and where you are and where you hope to go in the future. Through Storytellers we share local preservation stories that can serve to educate and inspire others, and ourselves. Our August Storyteller installment comes from the town of Dalton, where the historical commission worked for 14 years to save and preserve a tiny house that had a big connection to African American history in the area, beginning after the Revolutionary War. What began as an email informing Preservation Massachusetts of an upcoming dedication became an opportunity to share an important story that contributes significantly to the history of Dalton and Massachusetts. There is a lot we can learn from our past that can be applied to our present day.

The Fitch-Hoose House

Submitted by Louisa Horth, Vice-Chair of the Dalton Historical Commission

In 2004 the property, now known as the Fitch-Hoose House, was taken by the town of Dalton through tax foreclosure. The abandoned house was in danger of being condemned and demolished. The Dalton Historical Commission, knowing the house’s rich history inquired into the town’s plans for the house and property. In 2005 the Dalton Select Board gave the Historical Commission permission to research the house’s history and begin exploring ways to preserve the house.