We urge Lexington Observer readers to pay close attention to the 114 Wood Street proposed condo development working its way through the planning process in Lexington. Conservation Commission hearings are already underway. The proposed development would sit close to the Bloody Bluff at Fiske Hill (of April 19 fame), and is adjacent to a certified vernal pool. This is land with historic and ecological value that will never recover if the 18 condo units proposed are approved. 

Resident concerns are as follows: 

• The site is adjacent to the Minuteman National Historical Park, the Battle Road, and Bloody Bluff Fault.

• The site is listed as part of the National Register of Historic Places, recognizing its archeological significance

• The site includes stone walls which are historic boundary markers worthy of protection. • The development site includes several wetland areas, creating an intersection of two wildlife corridors running east to west, north to south, and linked to the National Park forest. 

• Lost Pond, a unique kettle hole certified vernal pool bordering the development, is of key  importance to these wildlife corridors and it is listed as a Core Habitat Priority Natural  Community under the Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program. The  pond has a high diversity of invertebrates. The area between Cook’s Pond and Whittemore Pond is a migration route for amphibians, as is the area between Cook’s Pond and the uplands of Fiske Hill.” (Quote from Lou Sideris, Chief of Planning and Communications, Minute Man National Historical Park, March 19, 2014). 

According to the National Park Service, the Bloody Bluff has historical significance pre-dating April 19, 1775. Human inhabitants of this region, including the Algonquian Peoples, date back to over twelve-thousand years. 

You can listen to testimony given by the Integrated Resource Program Manager of the Minuteman National Historical Park at a Conservation Commission hearing on January 6, 2026. Here is the link to view the recording and begins around 1:17:17.  

https://u.peg.tv/s/3ig0qm

Now is our chance to preserve this historic and environmentally significant location. The first Planning  Board Hearing is on May 13th at 6:00 pm. Use the link below to attend.  

https://www.lexingtonma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05132026-3931

Francine Stieglitz

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