To the Editor:

Timothy Albright wrote a letter that beautifully expressed the sentiments of many in the town of New Scotland regarding the Hilton/LeVie barn, and, in this past edition, two more letters echoed the need for that barn to not only be saved but also to be kept where it belongs — at its historic site. 

Our comprehensive plan speaks to an envisioned future that cherishes the town’s agricultural history. Indeed, all subsequent surveys that monitored residents’ preferences reiterated this aspiration.

On our main artery, Route 85A, we have one last vestige of our historical heritage — the Hilton/LeVie barn.  Everyone agrees that it is a one-of-its-kind jewel.

For many, the Hilton/LeVie barn is a thing of beauty, of craftsmanship no longer practiced. More than just a physical structure, the barn satisfies a deep need — spiritual and communal — to keep a vital link to our land and history.  It is a witness to the town’s past and present.

Once the barn is gone, it will be gone forever. Someday, we will place a marker to indicate what once was there. 

Is that how residents envision the fulfillment of the comprehensive plan — a town with no unique identity, dotted with historical markers of what once was?

I appeal to the developers: Please look into your souls, and into the souls of the people of this town, and act with unprecedented generosity. Tim Albright wrote, “…people rejoice when good deeds are visited upon the community.”  I hope his words will be prophetic.

Edie Abrams

New Scotland

Editor’s note: Edie Abrams is currently a member of the New Scotland Zoning Board of Appeals and has served in the past on planning committees.