Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey has announced the demolition of Newbury’s iconic Pink House – previously planned for this week – has been put on hold, pending discussions between the governor’s office, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and other stakeholders.
“The Pink House is a beloved local landmark that makes valuable contributions to the North Shore economy by attracting tourists and artists from across the country,” Healey says. “We look forward
to continued conversations with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to chart the best path forward for The Pink House, the community, and the environment.”
Today’s announcement follows a busy week for the fight to save the beloved local landmark. On Friday, the organization Support the Pink House announced an anonymous donor was willing to give $1 million to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service if it would halt plans for demolition. On Sunday, Pink House supporters rallied along the road in front of the building to draw attention to their cause.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife, however, is maintaining its position that alternative courses of action have been explored and exhausted, leaving no choice but to demolish the building.
“Perpetual maintenance of an abandoned structure within an increasingly active flood zone is not compatible with the refuge’s mission to conserve wildlife and their habitats. Therefore, the decision we made to remove the structure is in the best interest of our conservation mission,” says U.S. Fish and Wildlife spokesperson Keith Shannon. “While we appreciate the recent generous monetary offer to help maintain the Pink House, we do not believe it affects the current course of action.”
The two-story, three-bedroom Pink House was built in 1925 on a small spit of land surrounded on three sides by salt marsh. Over the years, its distinctive color and lonely location have made it a striking sight that has captured the imagination of locals, visitors, and artists. The house changed hands many times over the years, before the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which also manages the adjacent Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, bought the property for $375,000 in 2011.
As the house fell into disrepair, the federal agency first raised the idea of demolishing the house about 10 years ago. Passionate locals, however, have continued to search for other solutions to preserve what they say is an essential symbol of the region.
“The Pink House is an identifier of our state, as much as the Motif #1, the Gloucester Fisherman, and the Citgo sign,” says Support The Pink House president Rochelle Joseph.