Budleigh Past and Present

[The pressures of tourism, traffic issues and road safety in an area of historic heritage have combined to force a radical solution on the town of Brewster. It’s a situation with which Budleigh residents will sympathise]. Brewster will have to find a new tree to hang its Christmas lights on this year. The tall spruce at the intersection of Stony Brook and Setucket roads is likely to be chopped down as part of an extensive remodeling of the Stony Brook mill site. Brewster’s Town Councillors, known as Selectmen, spared the 70-foot, 60-year-old white spruce from the axe last year, when the topic came up, but extensive studies by Russell Kleekamp of Stearns and Wheeler environmental engineers of Hyannis determined there was no viable alternative. At a recent public hearing selectmen approved, by a 5-0 vote, a plan that would replace the tree, add parking and straighten the intersection. “The tree is showing signs of age, is in poor condition and digging deep around the roots could impact t...