Seven to Save 2023: Lord's Tavern
Update: May 2024. Lord's Tavern is no longer owned by the Town of Effingham. It was purchased by a new owner who plans to restore the property. Stay tuned for more updates.
The town of Effingham recently acquired, through tax deed, an enormous historic house and two barns located in the middle of Lord’s Hill Historic District.
The house, which dates to the 1790s, started as a tavern operated by a young couple, Isaac and Sukey Lord. Isaac’s vision for the town – and his family money – led him to also develop several other nearby houses, including his later home known as Lord’s Hall, the Effingham Union Academy, and Effingham’s first Meetinghouse, now known as Lord’s Hill Meetinghouse.
The Lord’s Hill neighborhood represents an impressive and significant collection of Georgian, federal, and Greek Revival architecture. Together, these buildings constitute a National Register Historic District and a locally designated historic district. Lord’s Tavern contributes to both districts and sits prominently across the street from the meetinghouse.
Over the years, Lord’s Tavern grew in size, including a now-truncated 200 foot long barn, but stayed in the extended family until 1903. Throughout the 20th century, the property was used as an inn and restaurant, including a stint as a dance hall. By the 21st century, though, deferred maintenance and successive attempts to fix the building ended in mortgage sales, foreclosure, and most recently, a tax deed. Today, the property’s needs easily exceed one million dollars – a big number for a town with a population under 1,700.
Architectural features of the house include the enormous central chimneys of the main house and ell; the original 9/6 windows; a projecting front entrance with sidelights and pilasters, mimicked in the upstairs hallway window; and cut granite foundation capstones. On the interior, details like raised paneling, wide board wainscot, period fireplace surrounds, and even early stenciling remain. The barns also include fine detailing, including the attached barn’s distinctive flared cupola.
Local preservation advocates are hoping to work with the selectboard as that body decides how best to proceed. Ideas include keeping the property for town purposes, entering into a public-private partnership, requesting proposals for the right development, or selling the property with further protections. Ultimately, the community wishes to have activity return to the hill and see the significant landmark sympathetically rehabilitated.
Its size makes it a daunting effort to own and manage, but its potential for anchoring a community remains. The present day marks the first time it has become a public charge – with the responsibility of stewardship, and the excitement of possible future uses resting with the people of Effingham.
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 visiting 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.