Preservation Achievement Awards 2024: Steve Fifield for Outstanding Leadership in Craftsmanship, Education, and Advocacy
Steve Fifield of Canterbury has left an indelible legacy in New Hampshire for the restoration and rehabilitation of 18th and 19th century structures. Through his business, Fifield Building Restoration and Relocation LLC, he has preserved meetinghouses, churches, blacksmith shops, schoolhouses, barns, sawmills, and more. Steve also specializes in disassembling timber frame structures, carefully numbering them, then reconstructing the pieces, generally in a new location. Steve brings his knowledge of historic methods and repairs, creativity, and hard work to revive these buildings and honor the spirit of those original builders.
As a native and resident of Canterbury, he grew up being fascinated by old barns and how they were built. Steve says he always knew he wanted to do this work, but that his school bus driver, George, believes that he knew what Steve was doing to do even before he did.
Fifield likes physical work and restoring all kinds of wood and old buildings, and finds lots of satisfaction in a well-done repair or build. Through careful observation and experience his restoration skills flourished. Steve’s long list of projects includes the Bow Bog Meetinghouse, Amherst Congregational Church, the Gilmanton Academy Cupola, and dozens of projects across the state, from Rindge to Dorchester, Columbia to Moultonborough.
A few pieces of advice or encouragement from him include:
· Don’t try to improve framing methods that have taken thousands of years to perfect, they already are.
· Be aware and understand the customers’ expectations. Leave the project cleaner than you found it.
· Stay focused on your goals.
His good nature, generous spirit, and interest in helping and inspiring others make for a winning combination. We’re glad he’s still adding to his portfolio of great work and inspiring a new generation of craftspeople including his son Oliver.
Few people have made as big an impact on the preservation of New Hampshire timber-framed buildings as Steve.
Learn more about this year’s Award winners here. If you have a re-use profile to share, let us know!