The New Hampshire Preservation Alliance helps to save the places that are central to New Hampshire’s history and identity. The Alliance helped a group of townspeople in Acworth save that town’s historic meetinghouse, which had been a center of community for almost two centuries. The building was named one of New Hampshire’s “Seven to Save” by the Alliance, but was going to cost about $1 million to preserve.
Kathi Bradt was part of the committee that worked to preserve the meetinghouse.
KATHI: Acworth is a tiny town - nine-hundred people, less than nine hundred. The meetinghouse was built in 1821 and it’s right at the head of the town common, next to the town hall and our Primary School.
In late 2005, some of the neighbors began to notice that the steeple of the meetinghouse was leaning. It became clear that it was indeed severely damaged. There had been water infiltration and we discovered water issues affecting the foundation. We didn’t know what to do with this.
The Preservation Alliance was one of the first places that we went to. They were able to direct us to the appropriate funding sources and at each step where we might be kind of stuck they could make some little suggestion and get us to the next place.
Once the Preservation Alliance put us in touch with a timber frame specialist we were able to use our local crafts people and implement the project very economically. I think all of the town’s people have a sense of accomplishment. It’s just a glowing jewel at the top of the hill.
Links:
