What's the story with the Tobey Homestead?

Sep 23, 2011

It is my understanding that there is a case in court right now involving Southcoast Hospital/Tobey Hospital and Wareham residents about the Tobey Homestead. I would like to know more about it, and suspect there are others who would also, so I am raising the question here.

 

The Tobey Homestead is a beautiful building with a prominent position on Main Street, and which adds significantly to the character of the Narrows area. I never get tired of seeing it when coming from Sandwich Road over the Narrows, and often daydream about it possibly being the headquarters of the Wareham Historical Society along with offices and meeting places for a Visitor Center and other Wareham community and historic organizations. The Tobey family had a long history in Wareham and made major contributions to the development of the town, including the first library building and, of course, the funds to build the hospital.

 

I have been told that the goal of Southcoast Hospital Corporation is to be allowed to tear the building down. The Tobey family wanted the best for the town and they worked hard for that purpose. I find it difficult to believe that they would have wanted their lovingly built and cared-for home to be removed so that the hospital, with its neon signs, could be front-and-center on Main Street. If this were to happen, then, in my opinion, the Town of Wareham and its citizens would suffer a great loss, and the tone and character of Main Street would be forever changed. I, for one, would like very much to know more about this. I encourage the local reporters to please follow up on this, and I encourage anyone who has factual information to please share it with the rest of us. It would be a shame if we woke up one morning to find the building being demolished and it was too late to do anything to prevent it.