Preservation Alliance Awards Grants to Sixteen Community Landmark Projects in NH in Partnership with The 1772 Foundation

Sixteen community landmarks around the state are receiving historic preservation grants thanks to a partnership between the N.H. Preservation Alliance and The 1772 Foundation and the buildings’ non-profit owners.  

The buildings receiving support include historic school structures, two small-town meetinghouses, a fire engine house, a former summer chapel, farm structures, and high-style and vernacular houses ranging from c. 1800 to 1913.  New and continuing building uses include intern housing for a conservation organization, arts festival headquarters for an opera company, offices and public space for an art museum, and housing and program support by a women's club, as well as community and museum experiences.   Four of these properties had been listed to the Preservation Alliance’s Seven to Save endangered properties list in previous years because of their significance, threat, and ability for extra attention to make a difference.  

Mascoma Valley Preservation were the recipients of a 1772 grant to paint the exterior of the Grafton Center Meetinghouse in Grafton, NH.

The majority of projects focus on exterior repair and painting and window restoration. Two will be addressing roof needs, two porch repairs, and one each includes masonry repairs and sill work. In some cases, the grants will help multi-phase projects advance, while others will leverage smaller projects that will help a non-profit organization get going or finish up important preservation needs. Projects were vetted by a selection committee of experts and the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance staff. Each grantee was required to have matching funds for its project. Grants range in amount from $5,000 to the grant maximum of $10,000, and the 16 grants total $125,000. 

Beverly Thomas, program director of the Preservation Alliance, said: “We are so pleased to be able to make these grants to worthy projects in many regions of the state, from a small town with about 600 residents to the state’s largest city. This year, The 1772 Foundation’s investment in New Hampshire is protecting and revitalizing sixteen historic community landmarks, inspiring new donors and bringing new activity to under-utilized buildings, villages, and downtowns.” She emphasized that good planning was an essential ingredient for the successful applicants. 

Thomas noted that grant criteria included the uniqueness or significance of the resource, visibility within the community, availability of additional funding, strength of local support, imminence or severity of threat to the resource, understanding of buildings’ needs, and the proposed plan’s adherence to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. 

"The 1772 Foundation is delighted to partner again with New Hampshire Preservation Alliance to bring funding to this impressive array of cultural and community assets in New Hampshire.  This cooperative arrangement with New Hampshire colleagues provides critical knowledge and expertise for this funding program, which would not be possible without their efforts." said Mary Anthony, Executive Director of The 1772 Foundation.  The 1772 Foundation grants were also awarded in each of the other five New England states.  

Grant recipients were: 

  • Bedford Historical Society, Bedford, for the Stevens-Buswell School (1921/1938); Exterior Restoration and Painting Grant: $5,000

  • Friends of Bradford Center Meetinghouse, Bradford, for the Bradford Center Meetinghouse (1838); Window Restoration Grant: $7,500

  • Canterbury Shaker Village, Canterbury, for the Village Schoolhouse (1823); Exterior Restoration and Painting Grant: $7,500

  • Chesterfield Historical Society, Chesterfield, for the Stone House Tavern Museum (1831); Porch Rehabilitation Grant: $7,500

  • Opera North, Cornish, for the Beaman House, Blow-Me-Down Farm (1884); Roof painting, storm sash repair, and front porch repair Grant: $7,500

  • Fitzwilliam Historical Society, Fitzwilliam, for the Amos J. Blake House (1837); Exterior Repair and Painting Grant: $5,000

  • Mascoma Valley Preservation, Grafton, for the Grafton Center Meetinghouse (1797); Exterior Painting Grant: $10,000

  • Haverhill Heritage, Inc., Haverhill, for the Wentworth-Brown House (c. 1805); Exterior Painting Grant: $10,000

  • NH Audubon, Hebron, for the Ash Cottage (c. 1800); Window Restoration Grant: $10,000

  • Jaffrey Historical Society, Jaffrey, for the Monadnock #4 Fire Station (late 19thcentury); Sill Replacement, Painting, Repointing, Window Restoration Grant: $5,850

  • Currier Museum of Art, Manchester, for the Chandler House (c. 1865); Historic Window Replacement Grant: $7,500

  • N.H. Farm Museum, Milton, for the Jones Farm (1780/1804/1833); Exterior Painting, Window Restoration, Foundation Repair Grant: $7,500

  • National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in the State of New Hampshire, Portsmouth, for the Moffatt-Ladd House & Garden (1763/1840); Roof Replacement Grant: $7,500

  • Portsmouth Historical Society, Portsmouth, for the Morton-Benedict House (1812); Repointing, Trim Repair Grant: $7,500

  • Portsmouth Women’s City Club, Portsmouth, for the Women’s City Club (1913); Exterior Painting Grant: $9,150

  • Star Island Corporation, Rye, for the Gosport Chapel (c. 1800); Exterior Restoration of Gable Ends Grant: $10,000

The 1772 Foundation was named in honor of its first restoration project, Liberty Hall in Union, NJ, which was built in 1772 and is the ancestral home of the Livingston and Kean families. The late Stewart B. Kean was the original benefactor of The 1772 Foundation. The 1772 Foundation works to ensure the safe passage of our historic buildings and farmland to future generations. More information about The 1772 Foundation may be found at www.1772foundation.org. 

More on the grant projects here.

Rebecca Howland