No Move For You!

Simeon Strong House, one of the oldest in Amherst

The Jones Library Board of Trustees heard a report this morning about the conspiracy theory floated on the floor of Amherst Town Meeting last night citing rumors that the Jones was going to absorb the Amherst History Museum Stong House next door and then sell some of the property at market rate to fatten their endowment.

As usual with rumors, partial-truths make them all the more believable.

 Strong House (left) rear of Jones Library (right)

Library Director Sharon Sharry has mentioned in public a number of times now that the Jones is in "discussion" with the Amherst Historical Society about a mutually beneficial collaboration that could include land purchase.

And Select Board member Jim Wald, who is now President of the Amherst Historical Society. first mentioned it back in January at a Community Preservation Act Committee meeting.

The piece of property in question is not the spacious lawn in front of Strong House that stretches out to Amity Street.  It's the plot behind the historic building.

And if the sale should happen it would not involve trying to move the Strong House forward closer to Amity Street, or be a merging of the two entities.

 Jones Library (lower right) Strong House (top left, red roof)

Because the Jones is in the beginning stages of a $10 million renovation/expansion, 50% state funded, buying property behind the Strong House will contribute significant funding to the Amherst Historical Society.

And give the Jones Library desperately needed room to expand.  With half of it state money.

A win-win of historic proportions.