25 projects awarded $3.7 million in grants for historic preservation, land conservation efforts

Dec. 13—Twenty-five land conservation and historic preservation projects across the state have been approved to receive $3.7 million in matching grants from the New Hampshire Land and Community Heritage Investment Program.

The grants announced this week by the LCHIP will support efforts to rehabilitate a dozen historic buildings and permanently conserve more than 4,300 acres of farm, timber, and ecologically significant land in all 10 counties.

Gov. Chris Sununu lauded the program, saying LCHIP uses a variety of funding sources to maximize community impact across the Granite State.

"What's great about LCHIP is that these are community-driven projects, with local people tackling supply chain issues and other challenges to get the job done," Sununu said in a statement. "This is just a great program, and while the ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds might go away, LCHIP is here to stay — it's a program that just keeps getting better."

LCHIP grant recipients must match each dollar contributed by LCHIP with at least one added dollar and complete the funded projects according to the program's rigorous standards. Grant awards will be matched by more than $9.3 million contributed by other public and private sources, infusing $13 million into the state's economy through direct project activity.

In all, 48 proposals sought more than $7.3 million in funding from the program which had only $3.7 million available. As a result, the program had to turn down 23 of the 48 proposals received. Some of these will be unable to move forward without LCHIP's support, leading to a possible loss of farm and recreational lands, and the very real possibility of permanent damage to historically significant buildings.

A $286,600 LCHIP grant will support an extensive rehabilitation of the 1804 Bickford-Chesley farmhouse in Durham. The house, an example of Federal-era rural architecture, is part of Wagon Hill Farm. Travelers along Route 4 will recognize the farm by the farm wagon that sits in a field high above the road.

Planned renovations for the Bickford-Chesley House include addressing extensive foundation repairs, ongoing moisture problems, code requirements, ADA accessibility, and other structural issues needed to accommodate the building's proposed adaptive reuse which include creating a changing exhibit gallery and meeting rooms on the first floor, and a caretaker's apartment on the second floor.

"The 139-acre Wagon Hill Farm was purchased by the town of Durham in 1989 from the Tirrell family, as conservation land and to provide recreational opportunities for the residents of Durham," said Todd Selig, Durham town administrator. "Renovations will increase public use of an already vibrant site that sees thousands of visitors each year.

Other projects approved to receive LCHIP grants are:

Manning House and Carriage House, Manchester

A $166,081 LCHIP grant will enable Brookside Congregational Church in Manchester to complete preservation work on a mansion and barn built in 1908 as a wedding gift for Mary Carpenter Manning from her father. In her 70s, Manning gave the estate to the Franklin Street Congregational Church, which built a new sanctuary on the property in 1960. Work will include repairing the slate roofs and associated copper, along with repointing chimneys and replacing flashing. The Manning House is used for meetings and offices, while the Carriage House serves as a thrift shop.

Sugar Bush Farm, Goffstown

The Forest Society is working to conserve the historic Sugar Bush Farm property along the General John Stark Scenic Byway (Route 13) in Goffstown. A $150,000 grant from LCHIP will help acquire a 53-acre conservation easement on the property. One of the last farms in the area, the property features 18 acres of open hayfield and over 20 acres of forest.

Westmoreland Town Hall

The Westmoreland Town Hall has been used as a town hall since its construction in 1917. The two-story building still contains the town offices on the first floor and a large auditorium on the second floor with a stage and balcony. A $128,800 LCHIP grant will assist the town in making repairs to the historic windows, plaster walls, and historic tin ceilings.

Little Red Schoolhouse, Wakefield

In 1858 the town of Wakefield appropriated $1,000 to build a new brick schoolhouse. Completed in 1859, it served its students for over 80 years. Today it is one of the few remaining rural brick schoolhouses in New Hampshire, but in need of renovation. A $36,960 LCHIP grant will be used by the Wakefield Brookfield Historical Society for structural work in the foundation and addressing masonry foundation deterioration caused by years of excessive moisture.

LCHIP Executive Director Paula Bellemore said building and strengthening connections to the past are a "big part of what makes New Hampshire special."

"Our historic buildings and the landscapes that surround them connect us to our communities and provide us with a sense of place," said Bellemore in a statement. "The historic buildings that LCHIP grants help rehabilitate are not just bricks and mortar, and the lands conserved are more than geology and topography. Our surroundings, both built and natural, connect us with who we are and what we value."

LCHIP Board Chair Ben Wilcox, president and general manager of Cranmore Mountain Resort, thanked state legislators for supporting the program.

"Rising land conservation and historic preservation costs have resulted in a 50% increase in the average LCHIP grant request in the past five years," Wilcox said in a statement. "This fact has made it more difficult for our board to award sufficient funds to grant applicants. It is satisfying to see our state communities working to preserve our natural, historic, and cultural heritage.

"In the years ahead, we will need to continue to find ways to enhance our funding to meet the needs of our communities."