Seven diverse properties newly listed in NH State Register of Historic Places

The New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources has announced that the State Historical Resources Council has added seven properties to the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places.

The Acworth Village Store is a relatively unaltered example of a mid-nineteenth century commercial building. It was built in 1865 after prominent business leaders formed a Union Hall Association that contributed funds to create a commercial hub and social center for the town. Its second floor, converted to residential use in 1944, originally offered space for meetings and entertainment. Today, the first floor is a community-run, non-profit general store.

A physical reminder of Harrisville's history of summer estates built in the early twentieth century, the Aldworth Stone Gateway, erected in 1906-07, was the entryway to wealthy industrialists Arthur and Alice Childs' home through much of the 1930s. Although its metal gates and archway were removed circa 1980, it is the grandest stone gateway of three National Register of Historic Places-listed estates in Harrisville.

Built in 1872 in the Italianate style, the First Baptist Church of Manchester played a role in the creation of several other Baptist churches in the city, offered spaces for non-Baptist congregations to meet and grow, and welcomed the city's immigrant population since at least the 1880s. After Hurricane Carol toppled the original ornate bell tower spire it was replaced by the simpler one that remains in place today.

The James A. Bryant Memorial Library, built in Northwood in 1941, is named for its benefactor, a Union Army veteran. The symmetrically designed Classical Revival architecture follows a typical classical form popularized by the 1893 Columbian Exposition. A one-story brick building with a hip-roof, it was the town's first permanent and free-standing library. Library operations ended in 1989; it now houses the local historical society's collections.

Peterborough's Kyes-Sage House, built circa 1845, is an excellent example of Carpenter Gothic architecture, a variant of the Gothic Revival style of architecture that was popular in homes between the 1840s and the 1870s, a time when machined millwork made decorative elements more affordable than hand-carved ones. Features include pendant drops along the roofline, gothic arches with sunburst fans above the windows and cutouts on the porch columns.

The Josiah and Sarah Brown Farm in Stratham reflects the town's evolution from the eighteenth century to the present. Its main house was built in the Federal style in 1816 and has what appears to be a seventeenth century two-story ell that may be one of the oldest existing buildings in town. Although no longer in agricultural use, the property retains considerable open acreage and historic integrity.

Dedicated January 10, 1861, the First Unitarian Congregational Church was the third Congregational meetinghouse in Wilton and the first to be built solely as a Congregational Church rather than as a meetinghouse for both church and town use. It combines elements of both Greek Revival and Gothic Revival architectural styles. A small addition was added in 1924 to provide space for the associated Sunday School.

Anyone wishing to nominate a property to the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places must research the history of the nominated property and document it on an individual inventory form from the New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources. Having a property listed in the Register does not impose restrictions on property owners. For more information, visit nhdhr.dncr.nh.gov.

New Hampshire's Division of Historical Resources, the State Historic Preservation Office, was established in 1974 and is part of the NH Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. NHDHR's mission is to preserve and celebrate New Hampshire's irreplaceable historic resources through programs and services that provide education, stewardship, and protection. For more information, visit us online at nhdhr.dncr.nh.gov or by calling 603-271-3483.

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