NEWBURY — Sadness and gratitude were among the emotions recently voiced by those who spent almost 10 years trying to keep the Pink House standing along the Plum Island Turnpike.
On Monday, a spokesperson for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service confirmed the worst, however, saying the house will no longer be there by the end of the month.
Support The Pink House board member Sandy Tilton said Monday she was extremely disappointed by the government’s decision.
“I feel that something as important to the local people as the Pink House has been for 100 years won’t change,” she said. “No one can diminish the meaning the Pink House has for local people and people all across the country.”
Tilton said she parked Saturday morning in the Bob Lobster parking lot across the street from the colorful house to take some last snapshots. That’s when she noticed cars had begun parking along the road to do the same.
“They just kept pulling up. One of the cars had a New York license plate,” she said. “The people got out of them, were taking pictures of the Pink House and greeting each other. I don’t think they knew each other and I couldn’t hear them but, from their body language, I could see they were spending time in a place that’s meaningful to them.”
U.S. Fish and Wildlife owns the 100-year-old building. Located within the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, it’s become a mecca for local artists, as well as photographers drawn to its unique location and color.
In August, refuge manager Matt Hillman announced the structure would be demolished by Dec. 31 after an auction for the property in July saw no bidders.
In September, workers began preparing the house for demolition by removing the asbestos from the house. That led to the removal of most of the roof, siding, as well as all the windows. At some point, the stairways to the property were also removed.
But in a last-minute reprieve of sorts on Oct. 30, Gov. Maura Healey stepped in and put the demolition on hold. The governor added talks between her office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, as well as other stakeholders like state Sen. Bruce Tarr, R-Gloucester, and state Rep. Kristen Kassner, D-Hamilton, were being held to determine a path forward.
Because the house sits on federal property and is owned by the government, a land swap was the only way for it to be handed off to a new owner without an act of Congress.
During its 10 years trying to spare the Pink House from the wrecking ball, Support The Pink House officials made progress in reaching two land-swap agreements in 2020 and 2022 but both fell through.
On Friday afternoon, the governor released a statement saying a deal to relocate the structure couldn’t be reached.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife has also notified the state it will be moving forward with demolition in the coming weeks.
In an email to The Daily News late Friday, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spokesperson said the government will remove the house to allow for the restoration of the habitat.
“Demolition is expected to be completed by March 31, 2025, to coincide with the return of an estimated 300 migratory bird species that depend on the refuge for nesting and foraging,” she said. “Site restoration may continue through early spring.”
Last summer, Newbury Select Board Chairperson Alicia Greco made an unsuccessful attempt to get federal lawmakers to suspend the auction so that the Pink House could become a residence once again.
On Monday, Greco said losing the Pink House is an artistic and cultural hit to the town of Newbury, the region and beyond.
In a group Facebook post on Friday, Save The Pink House thanked Healey, Tarr and Kassner for all their help over the fall and winter.
“Rest assured they met with the right people, including decision makers at the highest positions within (U.S. Fish and Wildlife) and (the federal Department of The Interior)” the statement reads. “Several prime new parcels of acreage, most abutting refuges Matt Hillman manages, were offered along with the former ones Support The Pink House submitted by the governor’s office. None were accepted.”
Hoping to add some positivity to the situation, Tilton said she’s planning a 100th-year celebration event for the Pink House on Saturday, June 14, at Plum Island Hall.
“This will be an artist fair,” she said. “We’re in the planning stages right now and will be inviting local artists who have been inspired, influenced and touched by the The Pink House. We want it to be a community-wide event and there will be more details to come.”