Your article in January about the Rowley Family home and barn reminded me that important pieces of our American heritage have often been saved only by the actions of "stubborn" individuals.

More often than not, this is a single individual driven to find a path to success despite all the schedules, estimates, and gaslighting of civil authorities whose handouts more often than not lead to legal entrapments that end options and the building is lost.

Recently I viewed a bonus feature included with the 2019 film version of "Little Women." The then current head of the Orchard House Society, which owns the Concord home of Louisa May Alcott and her family, described how their building had been saved three times from destruction.

The first time was in 1857, when Ralph Waldo Emerson helped Bronson Alcott purchase the 17th century building which everyone else described at the time as "firewood." Alcott not only made it livable again, but added on to the building. The second save - after Louisa May had written "Little Women" in that house and the family had moved to Boston - "Orchard House" was once again described as a "tear-down" that occupied a location fit for a new mansion. However, a neighbor who had watched a steady stream of Alcott fans peering into the dark windows, decided it had to be saved. She bought it and formed the "Orchard Society" to help maintain and save the building for the future.

The third save was more recent, around 2000, when it was determined that a new foundation was needed to save the building from collapse. The 17th century house indeed might very well not have even had a foundation - and Bronson, in his poverty, very likely put nothing under his addition. However, by now the building was seen as too famous to lose. Of course, part of this parable is that care and upkeep are a continuing need to all our creations.

I find this a stirring example of how one person in each generation can be so right - and the majority, so wrong.

As a child, I discovered the Parmenter Court Cupboard in the halls of the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford. It was from my hometown (Sudbury, MA) and had been seen as a wreck that was saved by an elderly family member who had forbidden others from destroying it. It was "found" by Wallace Nutting who restored the feet (etc.) in the early 1900s. When I saw it a brass plaque retold this story and claimed it to be the oldest known American-made example of "Pilgrim" furniture.

It has always been a fight to save our heritage, constant and continuous!

Be strong!!

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Subjects should be of interest to most of us and have a strong link to Sandisfield, written by and for Town residents. Address either PO Box 584, Sandisfield, or email.