Citizen - Why I Serve

By Andrea Bodo

Somewhere, I once read that the office of citizen is the highest office in the land. One of the best ways to participate in our democracy is by serving on a state board, commission or committee. These groups oversee and advise Durham’s elected officials., state agencies and organizations on a wide range of issues that affect public policy and welfare. These groups also play a vital role in promoting efficient, effective and honest government. For many like myself, serving on a board or committee is one of the most rewarding experiences of their lives. 

Why Serve? Boards play a vital role in the administration of government operations. Twenty years ago, my husband Steve, a retired biomedical engineer and I (a retired nurse. musician and artist) retired to our cottage (which he built in 1985) on the waterfall in Durham. It seemed so idyllic with so many possibilities.  The bottom floor of the cottage had space for my Steinway grand and music studio. I was so fortunate to live next door to Doug and Pam Worthen and quickly made lots of acquaintances with people who wanted to play chamber music, or study piano with me. We had house concerts and student recitals and the place was alive. The swans on the pond would cruise by to enjoy the music too much to the delight of our guests. Our dear neighbors Frank and Anita Pilar encouraged me to join the HDC. Frank had found it really interesting and thought with my background, I would too. Not too long after that the discussion of dam removal came up. This was a conversation no one wanted to have. I felt uneducated about the conflict and thrust myself into learning everything I could about it. I was fascinated with the history (the first water rights were granted to Valentine Hill by King Charles in 1649). I could just envision the conversation on the dam with the King of England (who I am sure sat in his castle across the Pond). I suddenly felt a purpose to preserve this early piece of Durham history which even more importantly was a piece of early American History! I networked with anybody I could and quickly connected with Maggie Stier from the NH Preservation Alliance, Nadine Miller from NHDHR, Peter Michaud from National Register. I was amassing a wonderful dinner party……… but in the meantime, how do we approach all of this.

In nursing, you are part of a team, you are not an entity unto yourself. I sought the help of the HDC. We had endless resources to obtain information from and it was really exciting. I could never have imagined that I would be retiring to Durham, and then working with the NH Division of Historic Resources as their local resource. I realized the wealth of information from the Durham Historic Association with Nancy Sandberg and Janet Mackie, Durham’s own Wikipedia.

I am an early morning person and would get up at 5a and sit in my dining room with the angle of the dam facing me……like an old worried but cherished member of the family. I spent hours writing and thinking and soon the dam started to speak to me. The message was much greater than just the dam. I realized that these parts of history are ours, and we have to really care about them to protect and preserve Durham’s history. It seemed like a daunting task but I was game. Over the years, I had the opportunity of working with really smart and interesting Commission members. We took on concern and preservation for historic Durham. We agonized over the downtown which at the time was blighted. We all came from different perspectives but we worked hard to come to consensus for what we felt was best for Durham. Many people before us cared about the historic resources in this town and wrote about them, and established a Historic Overlay District Ordinance which gave us guidance into what was important with maintaining the district. We developed the first HISTORIC RESOURCES chapter for the Master Plan. Student housing became a big thing. I found it interesting that the mills in Durham once represented ship building, now the metaphoric mills are filled with students.  We then expanded our purview into a Heritage Commission hoping to conserve other historic resources in town by educating the public and getting them to care about them.  Part of the education took form with a HISTORY WALK. We found 10 local experts to give talks on 10 historic resources in Durham and it turned out to be a big hit. We set up the first chili fest on the Mill Pond to educate the public about Smith Chapel and raise some funds…… We were able to get the treasured Smith Chapel on the National Register and have a beautiful historic prayer service co-officiated by Rev Michael Bradley and the late Rev Congreve Hamilton Quinby, great grandson of Hamilton Smith. I think that the HDC/HC was thrilled to be a part of these activities for the town.

Being a part of the HDC for years has given me the opportunity to work with many amazing people and to meet many interesting people.

It is an opportunity afforded you only if you take advantage of your role as CITIZEN and find a passion in Town that you can be involved with.

Andrea Bodo, Vice Chair Historic District/Heritage Commission
Heritage Commission Representative to the Land Stewardship Committee