Southborough – When a prospective buyer said he had plans to purchase the historic Burnett/Garfield stone mansion at 84 Main St. and slate it for possible demolition in July 2014, four local teens – Bridget Brady, Jen Fox, Maggie Shoemaker and Kayleigh Travin- decided they were not okay with that idea. So that summer they organized a protest in front of the mansion, in the hopes of convincing owner Jon Delli Priscoli to come up with a different plan.
The teens’ hard work paid off as they garnered attention for the cause. Over the course of the next year and a half, town officials worked with Delli Priscoli on ways the building could be saved. At the April 2016 Town Meeting voters approved funds for a Preservation Restriction on the property, which will ensure it will be saved for generations to come.
The four teens were honored at the May 17 Board of Selectmen’s meeting for their advocacy for the mansion.