Seven to Save 2022: Old Carroll County Courthouse

The first courthouse in Carroll County was built on this site in 1839 – a year before Carroll County existed. This first wood framed building was destroyed in a 1915 fire. After the fire, and a failed attempt by Conway residents to relocate the county seat, the commissioners hired Tuftonboro-born architect Albert H. Dow to design the new courthouse (he was also the architect for another of this year’s listees, the Newington Stone School). This new courthouse opened in 1916 and remained in service until the state built a new courthouse in 2004.

The Ossipee Historical Society negotiated for the building’s sale in hopes that the former courthouse would become a county-wide museum and research center. Those plans did not pan out and for years the town’s historical society tried to maintain the building independently. Just this September, the Society reverted the building back to the County.

During their ownership, the historical society had the building listed to the National Register of Historic Places and sought two building studies in 2007 and 2010, looking at reuse or shared space options. Partially because all court and legal activity had left the village, architects and consultants determined that it was infeasible to rent the building’s many offices.

Now, county officials hope to find a creative and sympathetic new use for the old courthouse. It is possible that post-pandemic, the work from home culture has changed the feasibility of rentable office space. Other ideas include using the building for child care or adult day care. Either way, it’s hoped that the Seven to Save designation drives attention to the building and helps find a new use that will revitalize Ossipee’s historic Courthouse Square.

Stay up to date on this program, including when submissions open for next year’s list, and browse listees from past years (we’ve been highlighting endangered properties since 2006!) by vising the Seven to Save homepage.

Are you part of a group involved with one of our previous listees? We’d love to hear how you’re doing! Call us at (603) 224-2281 or email seventosave@nhpreservation.org.