Webinars

Growing the Movement

Ever been called the hysterical committee? Or felt like your voice isn’t heard? At this session, hear ideas for building a preservation constituency, finding common ground, and taking care of yourself along the way. Presented by Chris Skelly, Skelly Preservation Services.

Heritage Commissions 101

Join Preservation Alliance staffer and Wolfeboro Heritage Commission chair, Maggie Stier, on the basics of Heritage Commissions: how and why to create one, Heritage Commissions' roles in town governance and community projects, and important dates to think about before 2024 town meeting.

Unloading Surplus Properties the Right Way

Does your town, church or historical society have extra buildings on its hands? How can we unload surplus buildings in a way that breathes new life into our communities, but also helps us sleep at night? In this workshop, we offer varied case studies and positive, practical advice on this type of real estate transaction that can feel complex and overwhelming. Presenters include Jennifer Goodman, N.H. Preservation Alliance; Becky Mitchell, Stratham Heritage Commission for the Bartlett Cushman project; Steve Bedard, Bedard Preservation and Restoration who participates in Strawbery Banke Museum’s Heritage Houses program; Tom Paquette, Pillar and Post and Betty Dunn, Town of Windham for the Campbell Farm project.

Strategic Planning & Board Development

Successful projects need successful groups behind them. This session will dive into strategic planning and board development for your organization. Led by Maggie Stier and nonprofit consultant, Susan Tresch Fienberg.

Got Old House & Barn Questions?

Old house and barn owners always have lots of questions – whether it’s how to repair plaster ceilings, or which part of my needed barn work do I tackle first. Check out this previously recorded, informal Zoom session with preservation contractor Steve Bedard, Bedard Preservation & Restoration, and barn contractor Ian Blackman, Blackman Preservation and Restoration to get answers from the experts.

Big Impacts for Small Towns: Strategies for Capital Investments in Rural Projects

View a previously recorded Zoom presentation to learn about “blue-ribbon” strategies for rural historic preservation community development. Presented by the N.H. Preservation Alliance, Maine Preservation, Preservation Trust of Vermont and Preservation League of New York State. We'll be drawing from our experience with our four-state grant program generously funded by the Northern Border Regional Commission.

Effective Fundraising Strategies for Community Preservation Projects

Gather practical strategies about how to engage donors, the role of business and foundation support, and reaching your goals.

Town Meeting Advocacy: Final Phase Check-in Roundtable

In this informal discussion, community leaders with 2022 town meeting action items -- and those planning ahead -- compare notes and ask questions of each other. What works well (and what doesn't) in the final lead-up and day-of advocacy execution.

Effective Strategies for Community Preservation Projects: Building Support for Historic Preservation

Join N.H. Preservation Alliance staff and leaders of grassroots community preservation projects to gather practical tactics and a dose of inspiration.

Getting Started with Community Preservation Projects: Laying the Foundation for Success

Join N.H. Preservation Alliance staff and leaders of successful preservation projects to gather practical tactics and inspiration for your own preservation project.

Expo on the Road | Ask the Old House Experts: A Focus on Your Favorite Topics and 2022 Forecast

Enjoy the round-table discussion of four prior Expo presenters who are back by popular demand and are eager to address your challenges and share their advice so that you can make the best choices possible to care for your historic property.

Preservation Easements as Tools for Homeowners and Community Projects

While the use of Preservation Easements is growing in popularity as an effective tool, it is still much less known than its conservation easement "sister". Join the N.H. Preservation Alliance for this session on the "whys" and "hows" of effectively utilizing this approach.

Expo on the Road | Old House Restoration Strategies and Challenges

Learn to navigate critical decisions and challenges involved in an old house restoration project.

Expo on the Road | Snug as a Bug in a Rug

Learn about the wide range of available materials and approaches to improving energy efficiency and comfort in historic houses and why proper ventilation is critical to the health of the house and its occupants.

Expo on the Road | Real Estate, Insurance, and Financing Strategies for Older Homes

Antique homes are unique and that is why we love them! But older homeownership requires flexibility and understanding when buying or selling, insuring or financing rehabilitation projects. This session gives a high-level overview of three experts in these areas.

Fundraising and Communication for Preservation Projects

Gather practical strategies about how to engage donors, the role of business and foundation support, and reaching your goals with Betsy McNamara of Full Circle Consulting and Jennifer Goodman, N.H. Preservation Alliance.

Expo on the Road | Period Painted Wall Decoration

In this presentation, Linda Lefko introduces the various types of early painted wall decoration in New England homes and share research and documentation efforts from the past thirty years, revealing some never-before-seen examples.

Expo on the Road | Working with an Architect: Preserving and Enhancing your Historic Property

Learn how to choose an architect, navigate zoning and permit regulations, the design process, budget and construction for your historic home project.

Expo on the Road | House Histories: How to Research the Evolution of Your House

Every old house has a history, but how do you discover what it is? Join Mae Williams and Andrew Cushing as they explore tools, tricks, and tips for researching your old house.

Expo on the Road | Exterior Paint Colors and Your House

With thousands of color options, how do you choose what is historically appropriate for your house? Join presenter Leigh Schoberth, Senior Preservation Services Manager, Historic New England, as she delves into color trends through various periods and shows how color choices and architectural styles are related.

Expo on the Road | Shaping a New Kitchen to Your Old House

Join Sue Booth, Designer/Principal of Vintage Kitchens, to learn about the creative process of fitting a new kitchen into your older home.

Effective Fundraising and Communication Strategies for Preservation Projects

Gather practical strategies about how to engage donors, the role of business and foundation support, and reach your goals.

Expo on the Road | Assessing Your House Before Work Begins

Learn the importance of understanding the history and significant features of your house before embarking on a rehabilitation project.

Expo on the Road | An Overview of New Hampshire Architecture

Learn about the predominant architectural styles found throughout New Hampshire and how to observe details such as building materials, shapes, features, and decorative details that provide clues to a property’s age, style, and development over time.

Expo on the Road | Old Barn History and Preservation

Explore and learn about these iconic New England structures following the evolution of barns from the early English style to the modern pole barns.

Expo on the Road | New England Porches: History and Preservation

Thomas D. Visser provides framework for identifying historic porches in New England and shares his research on their history and our cultural traditions surrounding their use.

Expo on the Road | Energy Efficiency and Older Homes

Leigh Schoberth of Historic New England and Kimber Degling of Innerglass Window Systems discuss common sense ways to make an old house more energy efficient.

Expo on the Road | A Tale of Old & New: Outfitting Old Houses and Barns with Solar Technology

You can save money and reduce your carbon footprint by adding solar, but can you do it without comprising the integrity of your historic home or barn? Eric St. Pierre, a Solar Design Specialist with ReVision, will use case studies to illustrate how solar panels can benefit your historic property.

Expo on the Road | Dry Stone Walls: History, Assessment, and Construction

Dry stone walls are a defining element of the New England landscape. Learn from Brian Post, stonework teacher and practitioner, about the history of these iconic landmarks as well as the methods used for construction.

Expo on the Road | Barn Evaluation: What Do I Have and How Do I Fix It?

Caring for an old barn takes knowledge, skill, and commitment. In this program, barn preservation contractor Ian Blackman focuses on the different styles and periods of barns in New England, outlines the problems that are specific to each and includes how to make a restoration plan that prioritizes problems and minimizes costs.

Expo on the Road | Historic Houses for Contemporary Lives

Scott Hanson, an award-winning author, presents an illustrated talk about how to restore your historic house in a way that preserves its most important features and makes it livable for the 21st century.

North Country Historic Preservation Conversation

View our previously recorded, informal conversation about the future of North Country’s special historic places. We know there is a lot of good news to go along with the sad news of recent losses. This conversation includes discussion about knowing what we have and how to use existing preservation tools and strategies.

Section 106 in Action

Join the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance and its partners in this previously recorded Zoom session as we illustrate how Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act is used to inform historic resource decision making in N.H. towns and cities.

Getting to Yes! Proven Strategies for Community Action

Whether you’re facing a big vote at an upcoming town meeting, organizing a grassroots advocacy campaign or simply trying to convince owners or neighbors of an old property, there are proven steps to help you succeed. View our previously recorded roundtable discussion of valuable communication strategies and best practices that will help you get to YES!

Know Your Building: Building Assessments and How They Can Aid Preservation Planning

Join the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance for a discussion of building assessments as a preservation tool: how they can guide repair, rehab and restoration projects and support advocacy and fundraising.

Stamp Out Old Barn Loss!

Join barn owners and enthusiasts to celebrate the U.S. Postal Service’s January 24, 2021 issuance of new set of barn postcard stamps. Enjoy a discussion about what old barns mean to our communities and trends in barn preservation with three national barn experts and an award-winning fiddle player.

Effective Strategies for Community Preservation Projects

Join N.H. Preservation Alliance staff and leaders of recently-funded preservation projects to gather practical tactics and a dose of inspiration. In this informal video, we unpack ingredients of successful projects including organizational capacity needs, fundraising and communications strategies, and predevelopment planning for rescue, repair and rehabilitation projects.

Decorating Your Historic Home for the Holidays

Join the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance and Erik Wochholz, Curator of Historic Landscapes at Strawbery Banke Museum, to learn how holiday decor evolved overtime in New England. Learn how to brighten your historic home for the holidays with holiday decor ideas using natural ingredients, dried flowers, and fresh greens.

What’s the Future of Concord’s Gasholder Building? Can it be Saved?

Part 2 of a 2 part discussion series. Recorded on November 5th, 2020, join real estate consultant Stuart Arnett of ADG and the Preservation Alliance for a conversation about future redevelopment options for this vacant landmark, part of the City of Concord’s southern gateway. The building’s owner, Liberty Utilities, plans to secure a demolition permit for the iconic 1888 structure by the end of the year, and the Preservation Alliance is working with the utility and the City of Concord to find a redevelopment solution that benefits the city, region, and nation. Public input encouraged after illustrated presentation of preliminary concepts.

What’s so Special about Concord’s Gasholder Building? Should it be Saved?

Part 1 of a 2 part discussion series. On October 27th, 2020 a virtual discussion was held to go over the history and significance of Concord's gasholder building. Should it be saved? And if so, what will its future be? The New Hampshire Preservation Alliance hosted this event which includes input from the public as well as from Roger Reed, a historian at the National Register of Historic Places, Benjamin Wilson, state historic preservation officer, preservation consultant Elizabeth Durfee Hengen, and architectural historian James Garvin.

Discussion of Communities & Consequences II: People and preservation can make a difference

Lorraine Stuart Merrill and Peter Francese, co-authors of the new book, Communities and Consequences II: Rebalancing New Hampshire’s Human Ecology, and Planner Steve Whitman of Resilience Planning & Design, LLC

This zoom session deals with how decisions people make in New Hampshire communities affect our economy and quality of life. Learn from case studies of people working together to create vibrant and welcoming places for people of all ages and backgrounds which in turn, fosters a thriving future for their communities and the state.

Re-evaluating NH’s Roadside Markers and Sharing Untold Stories

Recently, the DHR has formed the New Hampshire Historic Highway Marker Advisory Committee to review existing markers for lack of historical context or references that could be perceived as inappropriate and develop a plan in coordination with stakeholders to address the identified markers. In this pre-recorded zoom session hosted by the N.H. Preservation Alliance, the DHR asks for public input on existing markers as well as ones that may be good additions to the program.

Fundraising and Communication for Preservation Projects in Challenging Times

With Byron Champlin, philanthropy and communications expert, and Jennifer Goodman, of the N.H. Preservation Alliance

View this important conversation including practical strategies about how to engage donors, the role of business and foundation support, and reaching goals.

Tips for Old Barn Evaluation and "Road Maps" for Barn Repair Success

Ian Blackman, Ian Blackman, LLC Restoration and Preservation, and Beverly Thomas, N.H. Preservation Alliance

Wondering the history and evolution of your old barn? Or how to identify and prioritize repair project, or whether a new use can fit in the old structure? Join us in this pre-recorded zoom session, which was open to the public, for an illustrated conversation on how to evaluate your old barn and create a “road map” for success.

An Overview of New Hampshire Architecture

Nadine Miller, N.H. Division of Historical Resources and Beverly Thomas, N.H. Preservation Alliance

Back by popular demand! Our second webinar on this interesting topic. Want to know more about the difference between Federal, Greek Revival and Queen Anne styles? Enjoy this informal exploration of architectural styles with a Q&A session from virtual attendees at the end.

Landscapes: New Hampshire’s Most Threatened Resource?

Attendees in this focus-group style conversation, led by the N.H. Division of Historical Resources (DHR) staff and hosted by the N.H. Preservation Alliance, discuss challenges and opportunities regarding New Hampshire’s landscape documentation, stewardship and promotion.

Community Preservation Planning 101: survey, state and national register and more

Jennifer Goodman, N.H. Preservation Alliance, Mae Williams, preservation consultant, and Megan Rupnik and Brandee Loughlin of the N.H. Division of Historical Resources

Learn about the basic building blocks of preservation planning with the experts in this virtual, roundtable discussion.

Passing It On: Planning for the Future

With Jennifer Goodman, N.H. Preservation Alliance, Alexandra Breed of McLane Middleton, Robert O. Wilson of Hopkinton and John Coolidge of Ashland

Looking for advice about ensuring the protection of a favorite property for future generations? This practical session features two personal portraits and an experienced attorney as well as discussion among varied attendees with stewardship goals for summer and year-round property. Some are exploring generational transfer, others looking for ways to ensure that their properties are protected into the future with or without family ownership.

Tips for Summer Cottage and Camp Care

With Steve Bedard, Bedard Preservation and Restoration and Beverly Thomas, N.H. Preservation Alliance

Community Heritage and Preservation Celebration and Promotion Ideas

Jennifer Goodman of the NH Preservation Alliance and Amy Dixon of the N.H. Division of Historical Resources

Looking for ways to build or expand preservation goals in your community? Three leaders of award-winning heritage commissions offer varied tips and strategies from their experience increasing awareness of local history, saving key landmark buildings and raising funds and public support. Specific emphasis on practical strategies; reaching younger people, families and newcomers; and challenges of securing and sustaining volunteers.

An Overview of New Hampshire Architecture

Nadine Miller, N.H. Division of Historical Resources and Beverly Thomas, N.H. Preservation Alliance

This 60-minute Zoom session covers an overview of the most prominent domestic architectural styles and features found around New Hampshire. Building materials, shapes, features, and decorative details all give clues to a property’s age, style, and development over time. participants gain knowledge on how to read a building to help identify building styles common in New Hampshire including their histories and the time periods in which they were built.

Q&A on Old House Projects

With Steve Bedard, Bedard Preservation and Restoration, and Beverly Thomas, N.H. Preservation Alliance

This 75-minute recorded Zoom gathering includes advice on common old house problems such as moisture management, foundation grading and French drains, plaster repair, chimney/flue repair and more! The participants live in homes dating from 1790-1820, but advice is applicable to all ages and old houses

For additional resources, please visit our Old House page

Strategies for Heritage and Historic District Commissions

Jennifer Goodman, N.H. Preservation Alliance, Rebecca Mitchell, Stratham Heritage Commission and Brandee Loughlin, N.H. Division of Historical Resources

This 70-minute recorded Zoom gathering features advice about communication strategies for these municipalities to be valued and effective within their communities. Other topics include importance of looking beyond basic building architecture and history, using experts, ways to help homeowners, and messages and messengers for economic arguments as well as the role of heritage commissions in master plan and survey and barn and downtown tax relief programs. Also an overview of Moose Plate, Certified Local Government Program and Federal Tax Incentive Program.

For additional resources, please visit our Community Planning and Community Landmarks and Grants pages