Town Meeting Results 2025

It was a less active town meeting season for preservationists across New Hampshire than in years past. There were no proposals to create historic district commissions or heritage commissions. Several towns did approve investments in historic buildings – and even acquisition of historic properties – however.

Did we miss an article in your town? Let us know.

Investments

Croydon School

In Croydon, one of the state’s last operating one room schoolhouses will get some needed work. Voters there approved a $353,000 30-year bond for renovations with 80% of the vote. After the building gets a new roof, repointed exterior, ADA improvements, and improved insulation, the building will serve preschoolers and kindergarteners.

The Alliance is assisting the school district with a state register nomination.

Similarly, Sharon voters approved funds for the repointing of the town’s 1832 one room brick schoolhouse. This work will follow the 2023 wood roof replacement, partially funded by a Moose Plate grant from the Division of Historical Resources.

In Piermont, the town voted to build a new $1.05 million town office and police station, leaving the current historic building to serve as an expanded library and historical society museum.

Freedom voters approved two measures that benefit the town’s historic Schoolhouse Hill neighborhood. $26,000 was approved to stabilize the timber frame of the Masonic Lodge, a building to which the Alliance awarded a planning study grant in 2024. $95,000 was also approved for hiring a building assessment team for the former school-turned-town offices. This project is aided by a $20,000 grant from LCHIP.

Piermont Public Library

Jackson voters said yes to $100,000 toward the relocation of the historic town hall (now historical society museum). This Seven to Save landmark will be moved to safer ground with the help of LCHIP and an impressive fundraising effort by the Jackson Historical Society.

The Golden Rod Grange in Swanzey will get a fresh coat of paint, following the town’s investment in the roof structure and shingles last year. The building’s rehabilitation is aided by an Alliance-funded building study.

And in Bethlehem, voters again agreed to spend $180,000 fixing the roof and structural issues found at the Bethlehem Heritage Center and Visitor’s Center.

Unfortunately, in Wolfeboro, voters rejected a proposal to add $350,000 to the Libby Museum’s capital reserve fund (Seven to Save 2024). This money would have been used to stabilize the structure and relocate/store the museum’s collections in preparation of a major rehabilitation.

In North Hampton, voters rejected an article to spend nearly $42,000 on upgrading the heating system at Centennial Hall (Achievement Award Winner, 2024).

Shelburne Church

Acquisitions

Voters in two towns approved the acquisition of churches.

In Shelburne, the town will now start the process of transferring the Union Church from the trustees. $5,000 was appropriated to assist with the legal fees associated with the transfer. The town also created a capital reserve fund for the building. The church was originally constructed in 1832 and relocated to Shelburne Village in 1885.   

Wakefield voters approved the acquisition of Woodman Adventist Chapel and the adjacent cemetery. The 1893 chapel has stood largely vacant for decades, though the cemetery is active.

“These positive votes are very real reminders of the power of our wonderful community places and the people who rescue, revive, and steward them,” said Jennifer Goodman, executive directory, N.H. Preservation Alliance.