LCHIP Results
LCHIP announced $3.5 million in matching historic preservation and land conservation grants today at the State House in Concord.
In total, 19 historic preservation projects received funding, with two grant awards made for planning studies, including a $60,000 block grant for the NH Preservation Alliance to continue its popular assessment grant program.
Some themes this year include grants to communities that have never received LCHIP funding before and a growing number of houses of worship. In total, twelve former or active churches received grant awards. And, of the 21 preservation projects, one third are in towns where no LCHIP dollars have previously been awarded to preservation projects.
We were happy to be a part of the process for a majority of the recipients:
Preservation Alliance Assessment Grant Recipients
Assessments through the NH Preservation Alliance (funded by LCHIP) are useful tools for groups starting their preservation project or moving onto a new phase of their project. They are also required for any grant request from LCHIP in excess of $25,000.
This year, 11 of the 19 bricks and mortar projects had received an assessment grant through the Alliance:
-Sutton Historical Society, $52,500 for steeple repair work at the 1839 South Sutton Meetinghouse. This is Sutton’s first historic resource grant from LCHIP.
-Cohos Historical Society, Stratford, $56,750 for structural work, roof, drainage improvements, and storm windows at the Marion Blodgett Museum. This is Stratford’s first LCHIP grant.
-Northern Forest Center, Parker J. Noyes Block, Lancaster, $176,000 for exterior restoration work, including windows and painting.
-South Hampton Baptist Church, $16,165 for exterior painting and trim/clapboard repair at the 1832 building. This is South Hampton’s first LCHIP grant.
-First Baptist Church of Lower Gilmanton, $81,600 for structural repairs and a roof on their National Register-listed building.
-Mascoma Valley Preservation, Grafton Center Meetinghouse, $150,000 for timber frame repairs and a permanent roof to the 1797 structure.
-Wentworth Congregational Church, $175,000 for foundation and sill repair and drainage improvements to the iconic building at the head of the town common. This is Wentworth’s first LCHIP grant.
-Furber Memorial Chapel, Somersworth, $30,000 for a new slate roof. This is Somersworth’s first LCHIP grant.
-Newport Opera House, $87,750 for interior rehabilitation at the downtown landmark.
-Town of Winchester, $75,000 for repairs to the clock tower of the Winchester Center Church. This is Winchester’s first historic resource LCHIP grant.
-Newmarket Community Church, $22,500 for structural repairs.
Seven to Saves
First Baptist Church, Lower Gilmanton.
Four recipients this year were listed to Seven to Save, including the Grafton Center Meetinghouse, 2017; Parker J. Noyes Block, 2017; Blodget Museum in Stratford, 2019; and First Baptist Church of Lower Gilmanton, 2019.
Such listing awards projects extra points on LCHIP applications.
On the natural resource side, several family farms (2014) will be forever conserved thanks to easements secured by our land conservation colleagues. These include Morrill Dairy in Penacook, Tuckaway Farm in Lee, Pearl Farm in Loudon, Clarke Farm in Epping/Newmarket, and Picadilly Farm in Winchester.
Field Service Assistance
Gorham Congregational Church.
We were happy to provide assistance to Gorham’s first historic resource project - the Gorham Congregational Church as they prepare for a steeple restoration project in 2020 and the Tilton Town Hall, as they prepare for a study of their Main Street landmark. We also provided assistance to the Crossroads Community Church in Bow, which will receive $12,250 for shutters as a finishing touch after their impressive steeple reconstruction earlier this year.
According to LCHIP, this was one of the most competitive years for funding. For all of the projects that received funding, there were just as many that did not, including projects that we provided assessments to and offered coaching. Every year, the LCHIP reviewers and board face difficult decisions, and results depend on the pool of applicants.
Other successful applications include: Moffatt-Ladd House in Portsmouth, South Church in Portsmouth (replacing the slate roof), Hinsdale Historical Society (for a roof on the Ebenezer Hinsdale House), Belmont Public Library (re-pointing), Chesterfield Historical Society (restoration of the Stone House Tavern), and Castle in the Clouds in Moultonborough.
LCHIP has provided 466 grants which have helped to conserve more than 290,000 acres of land for food production, water quality, ecological values, timber management and recreation and supported 280 projects to rehabilitate historic structures and sites. Grants have been awarded in all parts of the state and in 167 of New Hampshire’s 234 communities. Forty-six million dollars of state money has led to a total project value of more than $317 million. The money for LCHIP grants comes from fees on four documents recorded at the Registry of Deeds in every county of the state.