The Woodville Historic District was created by Town Meeting in May of 2005 to preserve and protect the unique heritage of the Village of Woodville.  The seven-member Commission was appointed by the Board of Selectmen at their 11 October 2005 meeting, each for a 3-year term.  On 30 June 2008 re-appointments will be done on a staggered basis per the by-law requirements.

The historical character and ambiance of the Village of Woodville has been extremely well-preserved over the years due to the interest and diligence of its residents, many of whom have lived in the Village for all or most of their lives.  New construction over the last century has, for the most part, enhanced and protected this ambiance with both architectural details and scale.  The establishment of this Historic District will safeguard this historical character and ambiance when faced with inevitable development pressures that could tend to dilute its distinctive village atmosphere.

Most of the properties in the District are located along Wood Street.  Remaining properties are on Fruit Street, Exchange Street, Highland Street, and Winter Street.  Also included is Evergreen Cemetery, along with the boat landing area and the Gatehouse at the Lake Whitehall dam which are both on state-owned property. The oldest homes in the District were built in the latter part of the 18^th century.  Most of the remaining homes reflect the Greek Revival style common in the early and mid-1800s when Woodville was a thriving industrial center, employing its residents in factories producing goods such as cotton fabric, boots, shoes, carriages, and livery.

The Commission is dedicated to maintaining Woodville’s distinct village atmosphere by ensuring that changes to existing structures and construction of new buildings remain within the scope of architectural design and scale of existing homes.  Application for a building permit within the Historic District will trigger a meeting of the Commission with the applicant to review the proposal.  After review, the Commission, if satisfied with the proposal, will issue a Certificate of Appropriateness, with or without conditions, which will then allow the issuance of the building permit.  Applicants are welcome to contact any member of the Commission prior to requesting a building permit to have questions and concerns addressed.