Historic District/Heritage Commission

Any resident interested in volunteering their time as a member on the Commission is encouraged to contact: The Town Administrator

Our Mission

The Historic District/Heritage Commission, as the name implies, has two separate, though related charters. The first is to administer the eight historic districts as established by the Town of Windham and, the second, to encourage the documentation and preservation of historic elements throughout our town.

Establishing a Historic District

Establishment of Historic Districts occur for a variety of reasons and serve several functions. Designating an area rich in historic assets as an historic district is an effective means to manage land use in that area and to protect those assets against the threat of development. In this respect, for local land and homeowners, historic districts are an effective tool for maintaining and enhancing property values.

In preserving the historic properties of a particular area, such districts also contribute to the positive image of our community across our state and insure the continuing legacy of those before us who strives to build it.

Administering Windham’s Historic Districts

Windham at present has eight historic districts, and it is the responsibility of the Commission to preserve the historic integrity and character of each of them. We further this objective by our review of applications for building permits within the historic districts, as specifically provided for within our charter. The Commission accepts, reviews and acts upon all residential building permits and issues certificates of appropriateness for all applications other than individual residences that might be located within any historic districts. Our decisions are based upon consideration of the relationship of a project to its surroundings within the district, the location and arrangement of structures, the treatment of exterior architectural features and the finish of structures, and, more generally, the compatibility of the land use within the district as it may affect the character and integrity of district.

Learn more about each of the districts by exploring the Historic Districts page.

Preserving Windham’s Cultural Heritage

In addition to our work administering Windham’s historic districts, our members are further tasked with overseeing the proper recognition, use, and protection of resources within the Town of Windham that are valued for their historic, cultural, aesthetic, or community significance within their natural, built, or cultural contexts. The Town of Windham, in conjunction with the Commission, maintains a detailed catalog of Windham’s historic resources.

The catalog provides a brief description of each historic resource, its approximate dating, and its tax map location, and represents a valuable source of information not only to historian and archaeologists, but also to homeowners, realtors, and developers interested in the historic assets of the town. It also serves as an important tool in land use planning, as we strive to protect these resources as our town grows. Interested visitors can browse the resource catalogs, view the document Historical Cultural Resource List (HCRL).