The Walter E. Fernald Developmental Center in Waltham is a very important place in the history of Massachusetts and the history of disability. It was the first state institution in the US for developmentally disabled people, and one of the last to close. For much of its history it was considered the cutting edge in care and research, and it played a key role in the development of special education. It was also the site of notorious human rights abuses that helped spark the disability rights movement and the closure of institutions nationwide. For over a century children and adults with a wide variety of diagnoses were involuntarily and permanently committed to the Fernald, and many died on the site.
In the 1970s the class action lawsuit "Ricci v. Okin" led to court-supervised reforms at the Fernald. The Massachusetts Special Education Law (Chapter 766) passed in 1972 established that children with disabilities have a right to an education that meets their needs. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as interpreted by the US Supreme Court's Olmstead Decision in 1999 banned involuntary and unnecessary institutionalization of disabled people in the US. Some families of Fernald residents fought to keep the institution open, believing it was the best option for their family-member.
The Fernald closed in 2014 after many years of gradually reducing the number of residents, and the City of Waltham purchased the nearly 200-acre parcel of land containing about 70 buildings that made up its campus. When the state vacated the land, records were left behind, many of which contained private information about former residents or staff. The federal government is now investigating this as a possible violation of federal privacy laws.
Since the city purchased the site, it has been used for events including a controversial holiday light show, a pond has been restored, at least 20 buildings have been demolished, the city's Consolidated Public Works Department has begun using it for waste management, and one building is currently being redeveloped into two units of affordable housing. Most of the site has not yet been redeveloped. The public is not allowed on the site but thousands of trespassers have been documented, and the buildings have been subject to extensive vandalism and arson.
The city is currently building a recreational area which will take up a large portion of the site which will include a memorial. Members of the Waltham community and the disability community have raised concerns about the appropriateness of this plan given the site's history, the environmental impact, the current and future needs of the community, and the transparency of the process. A petition asking the city to reconsider the plan has received about 900 signatures and residents have expressed concern in a series of "People's Fernald" meetings as well as a citizen input session held by the city council. Despite that, work began on the project in March of 2024.
This page is intended as a resource for anyone interested in the redevelopment as well as journalists, historians, and anyone else researching or sharing the many stories of the Fernald. The institution had a major impact on the lives of many generations of people who lived and died there and their families, as well as those who worked there, lived nearby, or participated in the movements to close it or to keep it open. Some of Massachusetts' most famous families were involved in founding or supporting it. These stories have a lot to teach us about changing attitudes about disability and the consequences of those attitudes. There are many people in Massachusetts and beyond who remember the Fernald, from many different points of view, and their stories ought to be documented.
Please get in touch if you notice errors or omissions on this page or know of additional resources that ought to be linked. Also feel free to get in touch if you are a journalist or filmmaker researching the Fernald and you need help connecting with people to interview.
Note: "Fernald" is pronounced locally with the emphasis on the first syllable. "Waltham" is pronounced wall-tham.
Recent media coveraGE
History and significance of the fernald
CW: Some sources contain outdated or offensive terms relating to people with disabilities.
"America's Deep, Dark Secret" - 60 Minutes report from 2004 about institutionalization, focusing on the Fernald. "Willful Neglect," recent documentary covering the highs and lows of Fernald's history, the current state of the site, and the controversies regarding its reuse. Fernald State School and Hospital Recordation Project - Detailed histories and photos of the current state of each building at the Fernald site, with an interactive map. |
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History of the Walter E. Fernald Development Center - Summary of the institution's history by Waltham historian Marie Daly.
Fernald nomination for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. Front Wards, Back Wards - In-depth documentary about Fernald produced just before it closed, including interviews with residents and employees. The State Boys Rebellion - Book about institutionalization and eugenics focusing on the Fernald and a rebellion by residents there in the 1940s. Below the Surface - Website with research and photos by freelance journalist Asia London Palomba about Fernald, Met State, and other MA institutions.
Returning to the Fernald - Short documentary following former employees returning to the Fernald site in 2019. MetFern Cemetery - Website documenting the cemetery where residents of Fernald and MetState were often buried in unnamed graves, created by students and volunteers led by Waltham historian Alex Green. They also have a Facebook page. "Understanding the role Massachusetts played in both developing and resisting eugenics," Boston Globe op-ed by Alex Green focusing on Fernald and other institutions' connections to eugenics. |
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RECENT EVENTS
In December of 2023, the Waltham City Council approved funding for the first stage of a plan to redevelop a large portion of the Fernald site into a recreation area which would include a memorial. Councilors Bradley-MacArthur, Paz, and Darcy, who voted against that funding, began hosting a series of "People's Fernald" meetings for community-members concerned about the plan.
On February 12, 2024, Mayor McCarthy sent several requests pertaining to the Fernald to the City Council, which were discussed at the February 20 meeting of the Committee of the Whole. The committee voted to hold a citizen input session.
Requests from the mayor 2/12/24 - Video of 2/24/2024 meeting - Channel 781 Coverage
Also in February, the city posted Requests for Proposals seeking to lease out six of the buildings "as is," to be redeveloped by the lessee for specific uses, with a lease term of 10-30 years.
Tarbell Hall - Affordable Housing for families
Dolan Hall - Veterans' Housing and Veterans' Services
Seguin Hall - Senior Housing - 25% affordable, 75% market rate
North Building - Adult day care
North Nurses Building - Housing for disabled adults
MacDougall Hall - Housing for seniors
On March 4, a fence went up around the 190 Trapelo St. portion of the site in preparation for construction of the recreational area. Neighbors reported bulldozing on or near Owl Hill in that area.
Requests from the mayor 2/12/24 - Video of 2/24/2024 meeting - Channel 781 Coverage
Also in February, the city posted Requests for Proposals seeking to lease out six of the buildings "as is," to be redeveloped by the lessee for specific uses, with a lease term of 10-30 years.
Tarbell Hall - Affordable Housing for families
Dolan Hall - Veterans' Housing and Veterans' Services
Seguin Hall - Senior Housing - 25% affordable, 75% market rate
North Building - Adult day care
North Nurses Building - Housing for disabled adults
MacDougall Hall - Housing for seniors
On March 4, a fence went up around the 190 Trapelo St. portion of the site in preparation for construction of the recreational area. Neighbors reported bulldozing on or near Owl Hill in that area.
On March 27, over 100 people attended a citizen input session on the Fernald redevelopment held by the Waltham City Council. After this meeting City Councilor Bill Hanley set up a website to share official information about the redevelopment.
Recording of Meeting - Notes from Meeting - Councilor Hanley's Fernald Website |
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At a March 21 meeting of the Waltham Conservation Commission, the chair of the commission raised concerns that the work at the site appeared to be in violation of the Wetlands Protection Act. The contractor provided the commission with a report from a scientist who said the area is not a wetland, but the commission had unanswered questions about that report and voted to hire a second scientist for a peer review. At an April 4 meeting, the city's recreation director said she would allow the peer reviewer on the site but not the members of the commission. The peer reviewer determined that the feature suspected of being a wetland was not under the commission's jurisdiction, and the commission voted to accept that conclusion at a meeting on May 2.
Recording of 3/21/2024 meeting - Presentation Slides - Recording of 4/4/2024 meeting - Recording of 5/2/2024 Meeting
In April, the city purchasing department postponed a site visit for prospective bidders on the building RFPs that had been announced for April 10. They later canceled a second site visit announced for April 17, saying prospective bidders could make a decision based on photos of the site posted online.
Channel 781 Coverage
On May 6, WCAC reported that in April, vandals did about $8,000 wort of damage to equipment owned by the construction contractor.
On June 23, the MetFern Cemetary Instagram account published photos of extreme racist graffiti covering the interior of a building on the Fernald site, which appeared to be claiming the building for Hammer Skins, a neo-Nazi group. Waltham PD release a statement saying they had arrested and/or charged about 50 people for crimes at the Fernald in the past 18 months. Residents organized a standout protesting the graffiti.
MetFern Post - WPD Statement - WBUR Report
Recording of 3/21/2024 meeting - Presentation Slides - Recording of 4/4/2024 meeting - Recording of 5/2/2024 Meeting
In April, the city purchasing department postponed a site visit for prospective bidders on the building RFPs that had been announced for April 10. They later canceled a second site visit announced for April 17, saying prospective bidders could make a decision based on photos of the site posted online.
Channel 781 Coverage
On May 6, WCAC reported that in April, vandals did about $8,000 wort of damage to equipment owned by the construction contractor.
On June 23, the MetFern Cemetary Instagram account published photos of extreme racist graffiti covering the interior of a building on the Fernald site, which appeared to be claiming the building for Hammer Skins, a neo-Nazi group. Waltham PD release a statement saying they had arrested and/or charged about 50 people for crimes at the Fernald in the past 18 months. Residents organized a standout protesting the graffiti.
MetFern Post - WPD Statement - WBUR Report
the recreational plan and decision process
In late 2021 Waltham Mayor Jeanette McCarthy and the city's Recreation Department began the approval process for the plan to redevelop a large portion of the Fernald site into a recreational area which would include a kids' train ride, golf amenities, synthetic turf athletic fields, and a parking lot as well as a memorial.
"Ambitious Fernald Rec Plan Revealed" by Chris Wangler, wcac.org, August 8, 2022 |
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City social media announced a virtual public input session regarding the Fernald on December 7, 2021. At the session, an engineer from NESRA Engineering presented plans for outdoor recreational amenities on the site, and attendees were told they could only discuss that topic. Despite that, the majority of speakers focused on the appropriateness of the plan or other uses of the site. Mayor McCarthy and employees from the Recreation Department were present but did not respond to questions or comments. The meeting was not recorded but some attendees took notes. The Recreation Department also accepted and compiled written input.
Written Input - Attendee notes from 12/7/21 meeting - Channel 781 Coverage
The plan was approved by the Waltham Parks-Recreation Board at a meeting that took place on July 20, 2022 which was not announced to the public. (To comply with the MA open meeting law, notice of public meetings must be posted at least two days in advance on bulletin board at City Hall. A photo of the bulletin board from July 18 shows it was not there. It was also not included on the city's online calendar.) In August 2022, local cable station WCAC published a version of the plans-- it was not clear if there were any changes made based on the input session. At a meeting on March 8, 2023, the Parks-Recreation Board noted that the July, 2022 meeting may not have been announced properly and voted to re-affirm their approval of the plan.
Minutes from 7/20/22 meeting - Minutes from 3/8/23 meeting - Recording of 3/8/23 meeting - Photos of City Hall bulletin board from 7/18/2022 - City of Waltham Calendar 7/20/2022
Written Input - Attendee notes from 12/7/21 meeting - Channel 781 Coverage
The plan was approved by the Waltham Parks-Recreation Board at a meeting that took place on July 20, 2022 which was not announced to the public. (To comply with the MA open meeting law, notice of public meetings must be posted at least two days in advance on bulletin board at City Hall. A photo of the bulletin board from July 18 shows it was not there. It was also not included on the city's online calendar.) In August 2022, local cable station WCAC published a version of the plans-- it was not clear if there were any changes made based on the input session. At a meeting on March 8, 2023, the Parks-Recreation Board noted that the July, 2022 meeting may not have been announced properly and voted to re-affirm their approval of the plan.
Minutes from 7/20/22 meeting - Minutes from 3/8/23 meeting - Recording of 3/8/23 meeting - Photos of City Hall bulletin board from 7/18/2022 - City of Waltham Calendar 7/20/2022
In March 2023, the Waltham Conservation Commission was asked to approve a small portion of the plan that included a golf chipping range and fell under their jurisdiction because it abutted wetlands. Their process included a virtual public hearing on March 2, 2023 at which residents questioned the appropriateness of the plan. The Commission approved the plan but with several conditions.
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The city responded by having an outside law firm file a complaint against the Conservation Commission with the MA Department of Environmental Protection, arguing the conditions overstepped the commission's authority. The city later withdrew the complaint and removed the golf chipping range from the plan.
Plans presented to Conservation Commission - Recording of 3/2/23 Conservation Commission Meeting - Complaint Against Waltham Conservation Commission (includes copy of the commission's conditions) - Channel 781 Coverage
On November 13, 2023, Mayor McCarthy asked the City Council to approve a loan authorization for $9.5 million to fund the first stage of the Fernald recreational plan, which would include the mini-golf course, the universal playground, and the memorial. The council took the unusual step of voting on this without committee reference, and it passed.
Mayor's Request - 11/13/23 Meeting Minutes - 11/13/23 Meeting Recording
Due to council rules, the council needed to vote a second time on the loan authorization, which they did on December 11. Councilor Bradley-MacArthur and outgoing councilors Darcy and Paz voted no, Council President McMenemin recused herself, and remaining councilors voted yes.
12/11/23 Meeting Minutes - 12/11/23 Meeting Recording
In March of 2024, at the request of Councilor Bradley-MacArthur, the Waltham City Council voted to have a citizen input session on the Fernald, which took place May 27, 2024.
"People's Fernald" Meetings
Since Waltham began the process of purchasing the Fernald, several citizen groups have come together to provide opportunities for community engagement that they felt the city's process was lacking. Most recently a community group that includes City Councilor Colleen-Bradley MacArthur and former City Councilors George Darcy and Jonathan Paz has organized a series of "People's Fernald" meetings.
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The first meeting in December, 2023 featured a presentation by Darcy summarizing what has happened with the Fernald site since the city purchased it (we have posted his slides here with is permission). Several attendees spoke about their personal connections to the Fernald and concerns about the city's plans.
Darcy Presentation Slides - Recording of the Meeting |
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The second meeting in February, 2024 featured a presentation by Bryan Parcival, a Waltham media artist who was part of a team hired by the city of Waltham to create a "recordation" of the state of the Fernald site when it was purchased, and his photos were used in the recent Boston Globe coverage. His presentation covered the state of the buildings when they were purchased, the extensive vandalism, and their current states. He also gave specific recommendations for preservation of historic buildings. Darcy gave a presentation with updates on the site.
Recordings of the Meeting Part 1 (Parcival presentation) - Part 2 (Darcy Presentation) - Fernald Recordation Website |
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The third meeting in March featured a presentation by Oliver Eggers, the grandson of Walter Fernald and author of a recent Boston Globe op-ed, about the Fernald's history, as well as Diana Young, who was chair of the Waltham Community Preservation Committee when the Fernald was purchased. Parcival, Darcy and Paz also made remarks and answered questions from attendees. Darcy focused on the move of the CPW to Fernald and a proposed MWRA project to put a pipeline under the site. Neighbors expressed concern about the current work which involves bulldozing Owl Hill, traditionally used by the community as sledding hill although it was not officially open to the public.
Recording of the Meeting |
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The Memorial - WHose Story will it tell?
The city's plans for the Fernald recreational area include “Meditative labyrinth memorial and walks, braille walk, honoring past residents.” When the plan was first unveiled, it was not clear how this type of memorial was chosen, or whether disabled people or anyone with a personal connection to Fernald would be involved in designing or reviewing the memorial. Details of the memorial have not been discussed in any of the official public meetings.
At a Waltham Chamber of Commerce event in June of 2023, Mayor McCarthy shared additional details about her plans for the Fernald. She said that she and Waltham City Council President Kathleen McMenimen attended events at the Fernald when they were young and the plan for a playground including a train ride was based on their observation that the residents loved to play and loved carnival rides. Regarding the memorial, she said "we have been working with the former guardians of the Fernald on a memorial area along with them, so Regina Davidson and her group, we're working with them."
Regina Davidson is the sister and former legal guardian of Marilyn Davidson, who spent nearly her entire life in the Fernald and other institutions. Regina Davidson was a proponent of keeping the Fernald open, and in 2011-2013 she was the plaintiff in a lawsuit against the state Department of Developmental Services seeking to prevent its closure. In 2020, Regina Davidson wrote a letter to the Waltham Patch defending the decision to host a holiday light show at the Fernald, stating "The nay-sayers are the same organizations who persisted in the closing of Fernald for their own gain."
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This reflects a belief among some in the disability community that the Fernald became a positive environment after reforms in the 1970-90s but was vilified by organizations that stood to gain financially from alternatives such as group homes.
In December, 2023, Mayor McCarthy asked the City Council to approve naming a portion of the site after Eunice Kennedy Shriver, founder of the Special Olympics. Shriver's older sister, Rosemary Kennedy, was subject to a non-consensual lobotomy in 1941 when she was 23 years old, and was institutionalized until her death in 2005. Eunice and other members of the Kennedy family made people with developmental disabilities a focus of their philanthropy, and some historians credit them with changing public perception and policy. The Shriver Center, a UMass-afiliated research facility originally located at Fernald and named for Eunice, helped to establish that people with intellectual disabilities could benefit from education. The Shriver Center building was located in the area the mayor has proposed naming after Shriver, but it was demolished in 2019.
In February, 2024, Mayor McCarthy asked the city council to approve several requests to name other portions of the site. For most areas she requested keeping names previously used by the state, but she also requested renaming a road on the site Tauro Way after William Tauro, the judge who supervised reforms at Fernald from the 1970s-1990s. So far, no portion of the site is named or proposed to be named for a disabled person.
Cemeteries / human remains
Many Fernald residents were buried at MetFern Cemetery. This is near the former site of MetState Hospital and is not part of the Fernald parcel.
In 2017, the city of Waltham commissioned an archaeological study of a small portion of the Fernald site which is surrounded by a wrought-iron fence in response to a concern that it it might be a cemetery. The study found that it is not a cemetery but was probably an exercise area.
At the Fernald citizen input session in March, Waltham historian Marie Daley said she does not believe there are any cemeteries on the site, based on research she did involving records that consistently noted the burial sites of patients at multiple off-site cemeteries. In a February, 2024 memo to the city council, Mayor McCarthy said she spoke to two local funeral directors who also do not believe there are any cemeteries at the site.
The lack of documented cemeteries does not rule out the possibility that there could be human remains in unofficial and undocumented locations on the site. As documented on the MetFern Cemetary website, many Fernald residents were buried with markers that did not include their names, likely to spare their families embarrassment, so it is plausible some residents were buried in graves that were not marked at all. At a City Council meeting in February, Councilor Bradley-MacArthur moved to commission a study using ground-penetrating radar of the entire site to determine if there are human remains. This was voted down by the council.
In 2022, the state created a Special Commission on State Institutions. Its responsibilities include determining "the likelihood and possible locations of unmarked graves" at Fernald and other institutions. The Commission has a June 1, 2025 deadline to make a report, and it is not clear how that will affect the timeline of work at the Fernald site.
In 2017, the city of Waltham commissioned an archaeological study of a small portion of the Fernald site which is surrounded by a wrought-iron fence in response to a concern that it it might be a cemetery. The study found that it is not a cemetery but was probably an exercise area.
At the Fernald citizen input session in March, Waltham historian Marie Daley said she does not believe there are any cemeteries on the site, based on research she did involving records that consistently noted the burial sites of patients at multiple off-site cemeteries. In a February, 2024 memo to the city council, Mayor McCarthy said she spoke to two local funeral directors who also do not believe there are any cemeteries at the site.
The lack of documented cemeteries does not rule out the possibility that there could be human remains in unofficial and undocumented locations on the site. As documented on the MetFern Cemetary website, many Fernald residents were buried with markers that did not include their names, likely to spare their families embarrassment, so it is plausible some residents were buried in graves that were not marked at all. At a City Council meeting in February, Councilor Bradley-MacArthur moved to commission a study using ground-penetrating radar of the entire site to determine if there are human remains. This was voted down by the council.
In 2022, the state created a Special Commission on State Institutions. Its responsibilities include determining "the likelihood and possible locations of unmarked graves" at Fernald and other institutions. The Commission has a June 1, 2025 deadline to make a report, and it is not clear how that will affect the timeline of work at the Fernald site.
Conservation concerns
The Fernald site is one of the largest unused properties in the Boston area. Because of its size and long history as a campus containing undeveloped areas, it may be home to flora and fauna not common in the surrounding area. At the citizen input hearing in March 2024, several residents called for preservation of the site's old growth trees. wetlands, and wildlife corridors. Several felt that the plan for a recreational area includes too much development, including parking lots and astroturf fields, and they would prefer a more natural space.
Most of the property was purchased using Community Preservation Act funds for multiple purposes including open space. So far there is no conservation restriction on the property. (See "The Fernald and the State" section.)
In 2021, City Council George Darcy asked Brandeis ecologist Dr. Eric Olson to survey the trees at the site. He found that it contains many Norway maples (like the surrounding area) but it also contains some rare non-native trees.
In 2022, the city restored an area containing a stream on the site. At the citizen input session one resident noted that the restoration was well-executed, but most Waltham residents are not aware of it because they are not allowed on the property.
In 2023 the Waltham Conservation Commission was asked to approve recreational plans for a portion of the site that would have included a golf chipping range. The commission approved it with the conditions, and the city initially appealed to the state. The city later removed the chipping range from the plans. (See "Recreational Plan and Decision Making Process" section.)
Most of the property was purchased using Community Preservation Act funds for multiple purposes including open space. So far there is no conservation restriction on the property. (See "The Fernald and the State" section.)
In 2021, City Council George Darcy asked Brandeis ecologist Dr. Eric Olson to survey the trees at the site. He found that it contains many Norway maples (like the surrounding area) but it also contains some rare non-native trees.
In 2022, the city restored an area containing a stream on the site. At the citizen input session one resident noted that the restoration was well-executed, but most Waltham residents are not aware of it because they are not allowed on the property.
In 2023 the Waltham Conservation Commission was asked to approve recreational plans for a portion of the site that would have included a golf chipping range. The commission approved it with the conditions, and the city initially appealed to the state. The city later removed the chipping range from the plans. (See "Recreational Plan and Decision Making Process" section.)
PlanS for the FULL SITE
In the January 29, 2024 Boston Globe editorial, Mayor McCarthy was quoted as saying the city has a 20-year plan for the site. Although the City of Waltham website contains hundreds of documents pertaining to the Fernald, the only document that summarizes plans for the full site is from 2017, a memo from Mayor McCarthy to the City Council. In the memo Mayor McCarthy asks for various buildings and portions of the land be transferred to specific city departments for purposes including:
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- An open space / recreation portion (construction has begun)
- Redeveloping three cottages into affordable housing (one is currently being redeveloped)
- A cemetery (the city council approved transfer of land to the Cemetery Department in December 2023)
- Redeveloping one building into affordable housing for veterans (the city has posted an RFP for a lessee to provide this)
- Transfer of three buildings to the Recreation Department for unspecified use (the city council approved this transfer in February 2024)
- A museum
- Transferring the West Building to the Waltham Historical Society for unspecified use
- Transferring a portion to Consolidated Public Works for unspecified use (CPW is now using the site)
- Transferring Howe Library to the Waltham Historical Society and Library Trustees for unspecified use
In her comments at the Waltham Chamber of Commerce event in June of 2023, Mayor McCarthy said the recreation / open space area will have the following components
- A universal area to honor disabled children and adults - an open area for picnics as well as an active area with a train ride and splash pad
- A memorial area
- An art area with a theater in the woods
- A nature area including the restored pond
- An athletic area
The fernald and the state
The state of Massachusetts operated the Fernald and bears responsibility for what happened there, so the people of Massachusetts have a stake in how it is remembered. The City of Waltham's purchase of the site involved certain commitments to the state.
Preserving Historic Buildings:
In 2014, as part of the process of purchasing the site, Mayor McCarthy signed a memorandum of agreement with the MA Historical Commission that placed certain conditions on the city's reuse of the site based on historic preservation concerns.
Preserving Records:
In 2022-2023, the state established a Special Commission on State Institutions, charged with studying and reporting on the history of institutions including Fernald. Their responsibilities include reporting on the barriers families of former residents face when requesting records. Their report is due June 1, 2025, and it is not clear how that might affect Waltham's plans.
As highlighted in a January, 2024 Boston Globe op-ed, the state agencies that used the Fernald site left behind materials including sensitive patient records, many of which have been removed or destroyed by vandals. According to the Globe article, the City of Waltham made a commitment to hire a private security firm to guard the site, but it is currently guarded by Waltham Police Department. The article cited a Waltham PD captain who acknowledged the trespassing and indicated it is not possible to completely secure the large site.
According to another Globe article, the Disability Law Center in Boston has filed a complaint against the state with the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights over the handling of records. The complaint also asked the agency to determine if the City of Waltham should face legal responsibility. At a January 18, 2024 meeting of the Special Commission, Richard Hernandez of the Department of Developmental Services reported that DDS has removed records from the site and is storing them as privacy lawyers determine what should be done with them. On April 4, GBH News reported that the US Dept. of Health & Human Service's Office of Civil rights is investigating whether the handling of records violated federal privacy laws. The article said the state's Executive Office of Health & Human Services is cooperating with the investigation, but did not say whether City of Waltham officials have been contacted about it.
State Police Evidence:
According to a Facebook post by Alex Green from November 2023, MA State Police used the site for storage and left behind evidence including rape kits, which was exposed to vandals. This was confirmed by a March, 2024 Boston Globe article. The Globe reviewed photos taken by media artist Bryan Percival and found documents and physical evidence pertaining to at least 24 cases dating from 1985 to 2008, including a double murder. According to the article Parcival first noticed the evidence in 2015 and reported it to Alex Green (who was chair of the Waltham Historical Commission at the time) who reported it to Mayor McCarthy and other city officials. McCarthy initially responded "Nothing can be done without the City Council and mayor’s approval.” Green and Waltham PD leaders found that the evidence was still on the site in late 2016, and worked with State Police to get it removed. The last of the evidence was not removed until April, 2017. When asked why the evidence was not removed sooner, Mayor McCarthy told the Globe "Steps were taken on more than one occasion. The specifics of which would have to be researched."
Use of Community Preservation Act funds:
A large portion of the Fernald site (about 145 of 194 acres) was purchased using Community Preservation Act funds (special city funds that are matched by state funds) for purposes of open space, recreation, and historic preservation. Under state law, land purchased with CPA funds must have a permanent restriction managed by an organization (not the city itself) that can insure it will be used for its intended purpose, and that arrangement must be approved by a state agency. Waltham is out of compliance with this requirement for all of its CPA properties including the Fernald.
Preserving Historic Buildings:
In 2014, as part of the process of purchasing the site, Mayor McCarthy signed a memorandum of agreement with the MA Historical Commission that placed certain conditions on the city's reuse of the site based on historic preservation concerns.
Preserving Records:
In 2022-2023, the state established a Special Commission on State Institutions, charged with studying and reporting on the history of institutions including Fernald. Their responsibilities include reporting on the barriers families of former residents face when requesting records. Their report is due June 1, 2025, and it is not clear how that might affect Waltham's plans.
As highlighted in a January, 2024 Boston Globe op-ed, the state agencies that used the Fernald site left behind materials including sensitive patient records, many of which have been removed or destroyed by vandals. According to the Globe article, the City of Waltham made a commitment to hire a private security firm to guard the site, but it is currently guarded by Waltham Police Department. The article cited a Waltham PD captain who acknowledged the trespassing and indicated it is not possible to completely secure the large site.
According to another Globe article, the Disability Law Center in Boston has filed a complaint against the state with the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights over the handling of records. The complaint also asked the agency to determine if the City of Waltham should face legal responsibility. At a January 18, 2024 meeting of the Special Commission, Richard Hernandez of the Department of Developmental Services reported that DDS has removed records from the site and is storing them as privacy lawyers determine what should be done with them. On April 4, GBH News reported that the US Dept. of Health & Human Service's Office of Civil rights is investigating whether the handling of records violated federal privacy laws. The article said the state's Executive Office of Health & Human Services is cooperating with the investigation, but did not say whether City of Waltham officials have been contacted about it.
State Police Evidence:
According to a Facebook post by Alex Green from November 2023, MA State Police used the site for storage and left behind evidence including rape kits, which was exposed to vandals. This was confirmed by a March, 2024 Boston Globe article. The Globe reviewed photos taken by media artist Bryan Percival and found documents and physical evidence pertaining to at least 24 cases dating from 1985 to 2008, including a double murder. According to the article Parcival first noticed the evidence in 2015 and reported it to Alex Green (who was chair of the Waltham Historical Commission at the time) who reported it to Mayor McCarthy and other city officials. McCarthy initially responded "Nothing can be done without the City Council and mayor’s approval.” Green and Waltham PD leaders found that the evidence was still on the site in late 2016, and worked with State Police to get it removed. The last of the evidence was not removed until April, 2017. When asked why the evidence was not removed sooner, Mayor McCarthy told the Globe "Steps were taken on more than one occasion. The specifics of which would have to be researched."
Use of Community Preservation Act funds:
A large portion of the Fernald site (about 145 of 194 acres) was purchased using Community Preservation Act funds (special city funds that are matched by state funds) for purposes of open space, recreation, and historic preservation. Under state law, land purchased with CPA funds must have a permanent restriction managed by an organization (not the city itself) that can insure it will be used for its intended purpose, and that arrangement must be approved by a state agency. Waltham is out of compliance with this requirement for all of its CPA properties including the Fernald.
In October, 2023 Mayor McCarthy asked the City Council's permission to send the state drafts of conservation restrictions for several properties, including one that would cover a portion of the Fernald site at 282 Trapelo Rd. that contains a stream. Because the Fernald was purchased for both open space/recreation and historic preservation purposes, it may require multiple restrictions. In order to get in compliance, the city will still need to find organizations to hold the restrictions and negotiate agreements with them which will then need to be approved by the state.
Fernald Acquisition CPC Application - Additional Fernald CPC Applications - Minutes from 5/10/22 CPC Meeting re: compliance - Draft conservation restriction for 282 Trapelo
Fernald Acquisition CPC Application - Additional Fernald CPC Applications - Minutes from 5/10/22 CPC Meeting re: compliance - Draft conservation restriction for 282 Trapelo
A January, 2024 Boston Globe editorial criticizing the city of Waltham for failing to protect the historic property quoted state Senator Michael Barret as saying “I suspect the city doesn’t want to do much of anything with the property ... It’s time to consider sale to a nonprofit or private developer, contingent on protection of historic buildings and the cemetery that remains there.”
The Fernald and the City of Waltham - More Background
When it was in operation, the Fernald allowed Waltham residents to use their swimming pool and invited the community to events there. Many longtime Waltham residents have strongly held perceptions of the Fernald and its residents, both positive and negative, based on those experiences.
In 2003, after Governor Romney announced that the state planned to close the Fernald, a Waltham-based volunteer group called the Fernald Working Group conducted a process to gather feedback from the community on potential uses of the site. This group continued working until 2019 but it is not clear what if any impact they had on the city's current plan.
In 2009-2010, in anticipation of the city possibly purchasing the property, Mayor McCarthy convened a Fernald Reuse Committee. This committee accepted proposals from the community for reuse of the site.
In 2003, after Governor Romney announced that the state planned to close the Fernald, a Waltham-based volunteer group called the Fernald Working Group conducted a process to gather feedback from the community on potential uses of the site. This group continued working until 2019 but it is not clear what if any impact they had on the city's current plan.
In 2009-2010, in anticipation of the city possibly purchasing the property, Mayor McCarthy convened a Fernald Reuse Committee. This committee accepted proposals from the community for reuse of the site.
They released a final report in 2010 that lists several suggested uses of the site supported by the committee, but is not entirely clear about a final plan. It contains a map that suggests the site will be divided into conservation/recreation, residential, industrial, and business/limited commercial zones. The report discusses reuse of several of the buildings, which may no longer be possible due to their condition. Therefore it's hard to say whether the city's current plans for this site are consistent with the results of this process.
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In 2018, students at Gann Academy (a private school in Waltham) taught by Alex Green promoted the idea of creating a National Museum of Disability at Fernald. Their efforts included an op-ed in the New York Times and an exhibit at the Charles River Museum of Industry. According to a 2020 Patch Article, Mayor McCarthy appeared to support this idea but it did not move forward.
The Waltham City Council had a Fernald Use Committee that met from 2017-2020. It's also hard to say what if any impact this committee had on the city's current plan. |
In 2020, the Waltham Lion's Club held a holiday light show on the Fernald site, which was protested by disability rights activists. The show and protest received national media attention but neither Mayor McCarthy nor the Lion's Club responded publicly to the criticism. An arson occurred on the site while the show was going on. The light show happened again in 2021, but not in 2022 or 2023.
CBS News Coverage - WGBH Coverage - Boston Globe Coverage - Patch Coverage - Waltham Watch News Coverage |
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Additional links:
Channel 781 Coverage Recent - Archive
"Fernald Continues to Decline", Waltham Watch News, April 15, 2021
"New Blaze Strikes Neglected City Site", Waltham Watch News, April 13, 2021
"Fernald's Legacy - Ensuring We Never Forget Disability Rights History" panel discussion hosted by Harvard Law School Project on Disability, March 10, 2021
"Waltham Hasn't Deliver on its Promise for the Fernald" by Joan Vennochi, Boston Globe, November 26, 2020
Channel 781 Coverage Recent - Archive
"Fernald Continues to Decline", Waltham Watch News, April 15, 2021
"New Blaze Strikes Neglected City Site", Waltham Watch News, April 13, 2021
"Fernald's Legacy - Ensuring We Never Forget Disability Rights History" panel discussion hosted by Harvard Law School Project on Disability, March 10, 2021
"Waltham Hasn't Deliver on its Promise for the Fernald" by Joan Vennochi, Boston Globe, November 26, 2020
Stay Informed
Consider following these social media channels for updates on the Fernald, the city's redevelopment process, and community efforts to remember the Fernald:
Waltham Disability Advocates Facebook
MetFern Cemetery Project Facebook
Fernald "Core Four" Preservation Campaign Instagram
Channel 781 News Youtube
Grouches of Waltham Instagram
Waltham Watch News Wordpress
Waltham Subreddit Reddit
City Councilor Colleen Bradley-MacArthur Instagram - Facebook
Waltham Disability Advocates Facebook
MetFern Cemetery Project Facebook
Fernald "Core Four" Preservation Campaign Instagram
Channel 781 News Youtube
Grouches of Waltham Instagram
Waltham Watch News Wordpress
Waltham Subreddit Reddit
City Councilor Colleen Bradley-MacArthur Instagram - Facebook