Hope to hear from everyone real soon.
Jennifer

daniel collins July 27, 2008 11:55:47 (EDT)

These photos bring back wonderful memories of my favorite place to visit as a child my father would always give the ostrich a Penny loved to ride the train and watch the elephant show,these phots of the park in its present state are all too depressing

scott s. July 25, 2008 00:45:55 (EDT)

Bensons animal farm - Where do I start, The elephants walking to the pond to wash off, bear and tiger show, my favorite was the bee house where the walls were plexiglass and you could see all the bees working, i remember field trips there and still have pics of me riding a big turtle. Gone but never forgotten.

lioness July 24, 2008 13:24:38 (EDT)

hi, Mike and others
I don't see you as being confrontational, no worries

from what I know the Benson's committee (Esther is chair) decided not to meet any more until something tangible happened, so hang in there...I'd even suggest putting your name in again in case it got lost.
It used to be a dynamic group, lots of talent for many different areas. I know for a fact a former member of the BOS made true enemies with DOT and state, isn't there anymore thankfully. It does take FOREVER to get things moving, attys, etc...I think right before primaries and elections a GREAT time to get this going and see how the Gov. reacts, acts...really, it will be a State park with Hudson money, which doesn't seem fair to me, but better than nothing there. There have been several clean up days hosted by the committee/Town
I heard directly that the Srs don't want anything that far out of center of Town, I know it isn't that far, but that's what I was told. There are several "Sr." factions out there, so it is a little confusing.
The dynamics of the Board of Selectmen have changed, is what I see...I don't know all of the members' positions, except it seems Maddox is a no no matter what.
the Benson's committee did have $ figures (now 7 yrs old, I realize) plus strong suggestions regarding a parks dept. and having a person on property
The town is really just concentrating on the 35 acres of historical area right now, and then of course the rest of the acreage could be enjoyed as well.

Mike July 24, 2008 09:13:02 (EDT)

Lioness,
You are 100% correct in everything you said. There are many stipulations in the deed and that is PART of what has held this up. Hence my contention that the state is partly at fault.
However, the town is also partly at fault in dragging their feet. Hence my contention that the town is partly at fault. In your opinion, what has changed in the last 4 years and made the town now decide that there is an agreement worth signing off on ? I am honestly not trying to be confrontational here. I seriously want to know what you think has changed. My opinion, the only thing that has really changed is the state is now going to reassess the property and the town knows what that means. It means the price goes WAY up.
The reason that the price tag is only $188,000 is indeed the stipulations and the covenants. Part of that is that the state is calling the majority of the property "wetlands". With the reassessment of the property there is a great chance that the wetlands will be reduced and much of the property could/would/will be built on. That is exactly the reason that the price will go up for who ever might want to purchase the property.
As far as the asbestos is concerned, once again you are correct. According to what I have read and heard, and I know that is all hearsay, the asbestos has been cleared up.
Now to the Senior Center discussion. The building, at one time, was proposed for the Industrial Park on Route 111. If someone (the Seniors) can drive there they could certainly drive to the Benson's property. Again, I'm not trying to be confrontational. If you can drive to 111, you can drive to Kimball Hill Road. As far as ample parking and ample handicapped spots I really have no answer for that. Someone with a lot more knowledge of the laws than I would have to make that decision. You mentioned that the Red Barn could be built if the footprint remained the same. That sounds like a great place to start for me.
I also understand that the animal park can never reopen in it's original capacity. However, there are 165 remaining acres that the town could use for open space, passive recreation.
I applaud you for your work on the Benson Committee. Can you tell me when the last meeting of the committee was? When the next one is? Are there any minutes available for public consumption? As I said in my original post. I have spoken with Esther a number of times and she suggested I apply for membership of the committee. I did that two years ago and NO ONE has contacted me. It concerns me that no one said yes, no, maybe or not a chance. The common courtesy or an answer should be forthcoming in my opinion.
Thank you Lioness for your comments and thoughts. Please keep them coming. I look forward to hearing your response to my questions. If we all work together maybe we can make something positive happen before it's to late.

lioness July 23, 2008 21:26:37 (EDT)

BTW,
I saw postings mentioning a Sr. center...
They (the Seniors) said that location is too far out to locate a SR. center, although the Red Barn which was burned down (arson) could be rebuilt, as long as footprint kept same...
the real problem with putting a senior center there would be the access to parking spaces...you won't be able to just drive anywhere you want to go and just park, so there won't be parking spots for handicapped people near buildings

lioness July 23, 2008 21:18:45 (EDT)

I have read the draft deed and the memorandum of agreement with the State. The Town is not holding things up, the State (DOT) is and has been. One problem was when a company the State hired to do some work on site dumped stuff on the property, causing a hazard, and they had to go to court to get the company to remove it. There are a lot of stipulations and covenants, that is why the price tag is only $188,000. The State bought it for $4million!
There is a great Benson's Master Plan put together, I was an original member of the committee formed in 2001. It got way too political with some former (and hopefully never back) Selectmen who let their egos keep the Town from moving forward, IMHO.
It couldn't become an animal/theme park, but it is a nice spot for a passive recreation park. Every time I went somewhere (committee meetings, State historic seminars) and mentioned Benson's, people were thrilled and had their own stories. There ARE grants and monies out there to help fund any projects. There is a lot of info and photos, memorabilia, I have been collecting for years.
Mr. Benson's nephew apparently lives in FL...wish he'd step up and donate items, he's been SELLING them.
The naysayers (maddox is one, who also said at a recent mtg just board up the Hills Memorial Library rather than try to find a town use...how little he knows...that would then revert the place to the Webster heirs. He has NO sense of history or identity. Very sad)
This was never to be a quick project, but a long term one.

steve (webmaster) July 23, 2008 14:00:37 (EDT)

Here are a couple of 1930s-era photos of Benson's from Margaret Pearce. Thanks, Maggie. She writes: "Here are the pictures of my Grandfather, Lew Dean, when he worked at Bensons. The top one is in front of the Maze."

Linda July 21, 2008 10:05:23 (EDT)

I remember taking my son there. He loved it and so did I. I found it to be well kept. It will be missed. I'm glad I check on the web site, because I wanted to take my grandson on his 2nd birthday in Aug. Oh well, I will find some place else to take him.

Maggie July 21, 2008 09:06:19 (EDT)

I have a couple of pictures of my Grandpa, Lew Dean, when he worked at Benson's in the early 30's. How do I send it to you so you can add it to the site?

Mike July 20, 2008 20:46:17 (EDT)

Hey Shaun,

I agree the asbestos has always been a concern. Here is a quote from the Nashua Telegraph article published April 30th.

A lawsuit against a contractor for dumping asbestos on the property and environmental cleanups also delayed the transfer.

The state Department of Transportation told the town it wanted to hold off transferring the property until the state resolved its lawsuit against a company that contaminated the site and capped two unregistered landfills.

The state reached an out-of-court settlement with a Windham construction firm that contaminated the site with asbestos. The state dropped its lawsuit after the company agreed to pay for the cleanup, which the state hopes to complete within the next year.

shaun July 20, 2008 20:07:01 (EDT)

what will they do with all the asbestos? I went there when i was seven Im thirty now cant really remember it but would like to see something useful done with the property

Mike July 19, 2008 16:53:50 (EDT)

I also would like to thank Gina for her great work. Please keep it up so people can keep track of where things are going.
I have to comment, once again, on the statement(s) of the board of selectmen.
According to the HLN article Mr. Massey proclaimed "that the state has no right to demand more than the originally agreed upon price". Why not Mr. Massey? How long do you expect the state to wait before the town takes possession of the property? Have you seen the budget deficit the state is facing? Seems to me it would be a great time for the state to raise the price of this property and try to pay down the debt.
Mr. Maddox later expressed his "lack of enthusiasm about maintaining buildings that have no use to the town." No use to the town? Seriously? How about community pride? How about history of what once stood on that property? When the Hills Memorial Library closes up and moves out to route 102 what do you suggest we do with that building Mr. Maddox? Burn it down? It would be of no use to the town apparently. The building on the Benson property could provide MANY uses for the town of Hudson. The deed clearly states that the town may establish "museum, museum shop, amphitheater caretaker's residence, kiosks, bandstand, etc" on that property, perhaps even with those buildings. Would it be free? No, of course not. Would it be an added value to the town of Hudson? Damn right it would.
Mr. Jasper made two very important statements. "This will be a legacy for this town forever" and pointed out that the town residents have twice voted that $188,000 was an outstanding price for the property. However, he then goes on to state that he wants to send this to the governor BEFORE the state comes up with a new price and tell them we have a "valid agreement, we're ready to go, we're waiting for you." I thoroughly love the fact that Mr. Jasper is behind this project. However, the state has been waiting for the town for a long time. My fear is they are tired of waiting and they are ready to move on.
I have had some great feedback on my post from earlier this week. Keep it coming and maybe we can all get together at some point in the near future.

Case Rocker, Washington DC July 19, 2008 04:03:46 (EDT)

Preserving the buildings should not be an issue. Dane Cook gave "Benson's Animal Farm" all the publicity it needs to make the money back for the town if they turn it back into a park. (Which is what they should do) NH is slowly losing the attractions that put it on the map. Travel to any of the other states in the U.S.A. and mention NH....what is the first thing that comes out of peoples mouths? "Manchvegas" There is more to NH than Manchester!

Town of Hudson!! Restore the park. Animals, Rides, make an outdoor consert venue.....Invite Dane Cook as the first show!!! And make sure you invite his dad as well. If you have no clue what I am talking about go to iTunes buy and download Dane Cook's bit about "Benson's Animal Farm" and listen. People will come!!! Friday's, Saturday's, and Sunday's have the Boston Pops, or the NH Symphony, Monday - Thursday have family friendly comics! If you book headliners people will come from all over the country! Do what Benson did and be different, be family friendly, stay affordable and fresh. Benson's failed in 1987 because an old idea was allowed to go stale....Restore it and make it something every one wants to be a part of again.

steve (webmaster) July 18, 2008 19:50:45 (EDT)

Read Gina Votour's latest article about Benson's that was published today in the Hudson/Litchfield News.

Scroll about halfway down the page, it is the third article down.

Thanks, Gina, for all your work.

jodie provencher July 17, 2008 13:35:20 (EDT)

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU , All of you who are passionate about preserving this unforgettable place it means the world to me . It is so refreshing to see sooo many people whose lives, in one way or another were touched by this place, its animals, its employees, and guests, but most importantly its presence. thank you all again. jodie provencher

Mike July 16, 2008 13:07:49 (EDT)

Yeah, let's see if the board finally steps up and does the right thing. I totally understand every one of the boards concerns with taking possession of this property. However, there are ways to ease every single one of the concerns. The barn, as mentioned, could become a senior citizens center, it could become a Benson's museum, it could become any number of things. There are a NUMBER of grants available to help restore and preserve the barn. There are also a number of grants that would help with the preservation of the Benson's property, not the least of which is the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP) grant. Of course at this point in time the state has had enough and now they are in the process of reassessing the property at "fair market value". Any idea what fair market value might be? The town assessor says the value of the property is $3.6 million. That's a LONG WAY from $188,000.

The majority of this board really concerns me:
Mr Massey (according to the Telegraph) calls this new deed fool proof. Either the state accepts the towns proposal or it reappraises the site and the town will have 165 acres of prime commercial property. Hello? Hello? Hello? Is there anybody in there Mr. Massey? It is my belief that the citizens of this town are NOT looking for commercial property in the middle of town. They are looking to preserve this HUGE PIECE of the history of our great town.

Mr. Maddox and Mr. Coutu (according to the Telegraph) are worried that the "vague language" in the states proposal would require "extensive rehabilitation" in the historic building on the property. No kidding. Have you seen the property lately gentlemen? It's a damn eye sore. It's an absolute shame that the state of NH and the town of Hudson HAVE ALLOWED this property to become what it currently is. It sickens me every time I drive by.

Wake up and get this done before it's to late. I can promise you that if the town does not follow through and buy this wonderful piece of the towns history, someone else will. We will then be able to buy our groceries at the brand new Shaw's Supermarket at Benson's Plaza. Pick up our prescriptions at the brand new Wal-Greens Pharmacy with the beautiful water fountain in the background. We can then drive to our new homes on Old Lady in the Shoe Lane. Is this what we want on that property? I seriously doubt it.

I was born in raised in Hudson. My grandmother worked at Benson's later in her life. My parents both worked at Benson's. I, myself, worked at Benson's when I was in high school. I literally grew up on that piece of property and I enjoyed every single minute of it. I have spoken with Esther McGraw, a member of the "Benson's Committee" since it's formation in 2001, a number of times. I asked her if there was any way I could help. She told me to fill out an application for membership of the committee. I did that 2 years ago and I have had no response from anyone about my application. I am a business owner in the town of Hudson now. I talk to customers every day when they see my small Benson's collection of pictures, post cards and memorabilia on the walls of my business. Every single persons tells me about their memories and they wonder what will become of the Benson's property. To a person, every one of them tells me they would be willing to help preserve and enjoy this piece of the towns history. They would give $10, $25, $50 or $100 to help out. They would buy a brick on the walk way to the barn to help out. They would give their time to help clear brush to help out. This is a wonderful community we live in and they are all willing to GIVE something of themselves to help out.

I have reached the point where I am willing to help form some sort of a grassroots committee if there was enough interest in doing that. There are only so many hours in a day and I obviously couldn't do it alone. I really don't even know what we could do, but we would make sure that our voices are heard. Are any of you interested in helping out?

Bob July 14, 2008 09:00:17 (EDT)

An Article in todays Nashua Telegraph 7.14.08 says that the Hudson board of Selectmen has agreed to the terms of the deed forwarded to them from the sate for purchase of the Benson property. They have had this Deed since 2002 and have played go around with the state since that time. Although not signed, they feel that agreeing on the terms of the deed will call the state to take action on the sale at agreeded upon price of $188,000. Lets see!

Chainz Shultz July 13, 2008 11:07:45 (EDT)

I am sitting here watching the town meeting with our council discussing the deed for the Bensons property.It is still at 188thousand for 165 acres.The hold ups to the purchase are wet land mitigaton and preservation requirements to the buildings.Like I keep saying its the deal of a lifetime,BUY IT...The discussion of maintainence is a waste of time,stop whinning about the srate gets us to pay for a state park,so what,call it what you want but we would still have a park instead of an eyesore.The barn issue that keeps scaring our trusty council members is ,as Isaid before settled by rehabbing the barn and use as the town senior center.The center was expected to cost 1 million,makes sense to me to instead of a new cookie cutter building we do the right thing,kill two birds with one stone.Someone call the govenor tell him to outline the wetland mitigation,upkeep requirements,and assure us a good faith agreement,they keep talking about the hasselton barn roof and what material we use,selectman maddox says he does not see any use for the buildings so he wont agree to restore them,SENIOR CENTER how many times do i have to say it.JUST DO IT,stop worrying about the historical society the money is there and the senior center is needed so JUST DO IT..Maddox you are going to hold this thing up,look around the room or better yet ask the town,as selectman Jasper said,the town voted every time its brought up to buy and restore the property,Listen to the voters,we want a park,the seniors could get the center,the people of the town would have some great trails to walk and enjoy nature.Well I hope we get this deal done,bye for nowSAVE BENSONS

Carey July 11, 2008 21:42:53 (EDT)

I am crushed to learn the park has closed. I am from ME but live in GA, we are leaving today for a vacation in ME I wanted to take my two year old son to the park that my grandparents took me to each summer in the 70's and early 80's. I am so sad, guess I will hold the memories and pictures much closer to my heart now.