Tagged: Historic Preservation

Back in 1779, 20 slaves made the case for their freedom before the New Hampshire General Court.  After noting it wasn’t the right time, the body postponed the decision “to a more convenient opportunity.” 

Lawmakers never took that opportunity, and 14 of the petitioners died as slaves. 

But on Wednesday, a Senate committee unanimously passed the bill.  

The protection of 215 acres of land in Durham is among 18 conservation and preservation projects to receive funding through the Land & Community Heritage Investment Program.

The program this week announced it would be awarding $475,500 in grants, spread out in various amounts among the 18 projects.

Since 1896, the Manchester Historic Association has been collecting and sharing documents, pictures and other items from the city’s past. The association also encourages preservation. On April 17th, it will present its 20thannual Preservation Awards, honoring those who have worked to restore historic buildings and traditions in Manchester. Aurore Eaton is the Executive Director. She tells  NHPR's Rick Ganley about the awards and the role of the Manchester Historic Association.

The New Hampshire Preservation Alliance helps to save the places that are central to New Hampshire’s history and identity. The Alliance helped a group of townspeople in Acworth save that town’s historic meetinghouse, which had been a center of community for almost two centuries. The building was named one of New Hampshire’s “Seven to Save” by the Alliance, but was going to cost about $1 million to preserve.

Kathi Bradt was part of the committee that worked to preserve the meetinghouse.

Twenty-three conservation and historic preservation projects will be sharing just north of $1 million in state grants courtesy of New Hampshire’s Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP).  Fourteen historic structures and more than 2,800 acres of land ultimately qualified for funding.