William Sumner Appleton
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William Sumner Appleton (1874-1947) was Founder of the Society for the Protection of New England Antiquities (SPNEA) in 1910. He was the chief force behind much of the preservation of historic homes in the New England area. Appleton, who had a degree from Harvard and was economically comfortable, worked tirelessly to promote preservation of buildings from the 17th, 18th, and early 19th centuries. He focused on buildings that were aesthetically pleasing, had historic significance, and could be independently supported. His method of preservation focused on cautious, deliberate restoration only when experts were involved and restorations were reversible. When he died in 1947, the SPNEA had grown tremendously and remains a strong and active organization today. SPNEA is now doing business as Historic New England and owns thirty-six historic properties.
