CONCORD, NH – The Saint Anselm College renovation of a 114-year-old boiler plant into a center for humanities was one of 12 award recipients at Tuesday’s New Hampshire Preservation Achievement Awards.
The 2024 list of honorees “includes the demanding rescue and revival of rare and iconic properties, vital re-use of key community buildings by businesses, and robust stewardship over time of community assets and gathering places,” the NH Preservation Alliance said in its awards announcement Friday.
“It is important for us to have the opportunity to honor people who are making a difference across the state,” said Jeannie Forrester, chair of the alliance board of directors. “This year’s slate reminds us of incredibly generous and talented leaders, the range of well-known and lesser-known special places around the state, and how critical this work is to maintaining the character of our communities and their economic vitality.”
Awards honored people and organizations across the state.
“We hope these awards help inspire even more preservation activity,” said Jennifer Goodwin, executive director of NH Preservation Alliance. She noted community and economic benefits of the projects, and the importance of a range of support, including grants from the N.H. Land and Community Heritage Investment Program, contributions from municipalities, and private investors, individual philanthropy, and significant partnerships.
The award announcement event also featured a celebration of the N.H. Division of Resources’ 50th anniversary.
The Gregory J. Grappone Humanities Institute, which opened in July on the Saint Anselm campus in Goffstown, was one of three Re-Use Award honorees at Tuesday’s ceremony.
“After considering demolition of this deteriorated vernacular building, the college embraced its history and revitalized” the plant, NH Preservation said in the Friday release.
The college renovated the 1910 building as a way to boost the humanities, as well as honor 2004 alumnus Greg Grappone, who died of cancer in 2015, the college and family said in previous published reports. The renovation was in partnership with Grappone Automotive Group and supported by a donation from Robert and Beverly Grappone in the name of their son. The Grappone’s donated an initial $600,000, as well as an additional $1 million. The $2.9 million project was also funded by a $500,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
The building started as a boiler plant and was most recently used as a print shop. The two-story center has classrooms, community space, and has already hosted a variety of humanities-related events.
Also Tuesday, Leadership Awards were presented to Stephen Fifield, of Canterbury, and Philip D’Avanza, of Goffstown.
Fifield was recognized for outstanding leadership in craftsmanship, education and advocacy.
“[He] has brought his knowledge of historic construction methods and repairs, creativity, and great skill to the rehabilitation of scores of 18th and 19th century meetinghouses, churches, blacksmith shops, schoolhouses, barns, sawmills, and more,” NH Preservation said in announcing the award. “His good nature, generous spirit, and technical ability have made a lasting impact on both buildings and people.”
D’Avanza was recognized for outstanding leadership in craftmanship. For 40 years, “he has maintained, repaired, and upgraded tower clocks in over a hundred New Hampshire town halls, meetinghouses and mill buildings,” NH Preservation said. “His skilled craftsmanship is self-taught and reflects a deep commitment to preservation and history.”
Other honorees are:
Education and Planning Award
The town of Amherst Heritage Commission’s “From Bookshelves to the Public” Project was recognized for outstanding education and planning. The commission worked with the Nashua Regional Planning Commission and Taylor Hardner, a high school senior at the time, to create three “custom map-centric apps to encourage the appreciation and preservation of Amherst’s rich heritage.”
Rehabilitation and Preservation Awards
Friends of Centennial Hall in North Hampton for the rehabilitation of Centennial Hall, which was “a complex, multi-phased” project that “transformed a 1876 landmark into a beehive of community activity with a mix of tenants and both earned and contributed income supporting an exemplary preservation effort.”
Town of Ossipee for the rehabilitation of the Whittier Covered Bridge. The town, its citizens advisory group and its engineering and construction team “executed a complex, three-phase plan over 14 years to restore and revive this rare single-span Paddleford truss design bridge.”
Enfield Shaker Museum for the preservation of adjacent Shaker North Family and La Salette landscape and buildings. “With great energy and vision, the Enfield Shaker Museum raised over $2 million from 344 donors in 24 states in only seven weeks” to buy 28 acres of adjacent land and five historic buildings from the La Salette order that had previously been Shaker property.
Re-Use Awards
Saint Anselm College, for the rehabilitation and re-use of the boiler plant building.
Susan Mathison, for rehabilitation and re-use of the Lower Intervale Grange, in Plymouth. Mathison and her team “thoughtfully rehabilitated” the deteriorated 1912 building, which was a community landmark. It is being used as a short-term rental “that celebrates the original craftsmanship of the purpose-built hall.”
Kreg and Danielle Jones, for the re-use of the 1856 North Weare Schoolhouse, which is on the National Register of Historic Properties, as their home and architectural office. The building had been empty before the couple took it on, after use as a school and grange for generations.
Stewardship Awards
South Eaton White Meetinghouse Association for the stewardship of its 1844 landmark building. NH Preservation said, “A small volunteer group’s thoughtful, can-do stewardship included extensive moisture management and a new foundation and roof, as well as preservation of exterior and interior features and protection of its picturesque rural setting.”
Tilton School, for the stewardship of the Charles E. Tilton Mansion, a centerpiece of the campus. The school’s $1.5 million renovation of the National-Register-listed house, included roof and exterior woodwork, ceiling conservation and fire protection. The work now allows expanded public use of the home. The school bought the house at auction in the 1960s to prevent its demolition. Charles E. Tilton, known for expanding railroad development in New Hampshire, had built the house in the early 1860s, and donated land and the clock tower to the school to support its development.
Longyear Museum, for stewardship of three Mary Baker Eddy properties in Concord, Groton and Rumney. The properties represent distinct periods in Christian Science founder Eddy’s life, according to NH Preservation. “The buildings also demonstrate the evolution of the historic preservation movement and serve as models for heritage organizations’ stewardship,” the organization said. After Eddy died in 1910, Mary Beecher Longyear began preserving the record of Eddy’s life. “She traveled back roads throughout New Hampshire and Massachusetts, collecting houses, artifacts, documents, and reminiscences from people who knew Eddy.”