Society of St. Margaret

Duxbury, Massachusetts

The Society of St. Margaret's 11 acres of waterfront land included numerous large and historic buildings, frontage on one of Duxbury's most picturesque old streets and a field customarily used by generations of the town's youths for pick-up sports. In 1998, the Society of St. Margaret (SSM), faced with the need to fund an endowment to maintain the property, considered selling some of the land as house lots.

  

As is often the case, a fortuitous contact opened up other opportunities. Pat Loring, Chair of the Duxbury Open Space Committee and board member of the Wildlands Trust of Southestern Massachusetts, contacted the SSM to explore land protection methods and possible uses of the property as town land. The SSM Sisters were receptive to conservation and wanted to investigate options, to make decisions for this land that reflected their deep sense of connection and responsibility.

  

This convergence of the SSM's desire to learn and make a good decision, and Pat Loring's knowledge, patience and contacts created the environment for a solution that protects the land, benefits the town's population and fosters a shared good will and sense of neighborliness.

  

• In order to permanently protect the historic Washington Street frontage, three Conservation Restrictions (CRs) were placed on three adjacent parcels of the property. Two of the CRs are co-held by the Duxbury Conservation Commission and the Wildlands Trust.
• The SSM sold the playing field to the Town of Duxbury to be used as a Town Green. The town also purchased a "right of first refusal" on any property the SSM might sell in the future.
• The SSM sold one waterfront house lot to a private owner. The new owner is leasing the property back to the SSM for a dollar a year on a 5-year renewable lease.

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