Specialized Assistance for Particular Preservation Projects

Please see our Old House and Barn pages.

Bridges

The National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges promotes covered bridge preservation. Although it is impossible to provide assistance for every covered bridge preservation project, the society is always ready to listen to covered bridge concerns and to offer advice. For more information, contact David W. Wright, President, National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges, Inc., PO Box 171, Westminster, VT 05158 (802722-4040).

Churches and Meetinghouses

Partners for Sacred Places (National Center for the Stewardship and Preservation of Religious Properties) helps congregations and communities maintain the vitality of religious buildings and sites. Their Information Clearinghouse conducts research, maintains a reference/referral library (including unpublished materials), and answers questions by telephone or mail. They also sponsor an annual national conference; publishes self-help guides, support advocacy, outreach, public awareness, education, consulting and traveling workshops.

Downtowns and Village Centers

Community Revitalization Tax Incentive RSA 79-E encourages investment in downtowns and village centers with a tax incentive that aims to encourage the rehabilitation and active use of under-utilized buildings and, in so doing, to promote strong local economies and promote smart, sustainable growth, as an alternative to sprawl.  In a town that has adopted the tool created by this legislation, a property owner who wants to substantially rehabilitate a building located downtown, or in a village center, may apply to the local governing body for a period of temporary tax relief. In exchange for the relief, the property owner grants a covenant ensuring there is a public benefit to the rehabilitation. Any city or town may adopt this program with the majority vote of its legislative body.

Note: A 2009 legislative amendment extended the community revitalization tax relief under RSA 79-E to apply to replacements of qualifying structures. Previously, the incentive was available only for rehabilitation of existing structures. The law contains provisions to ensure that the incentive will not be used to replace structures that have significant historic, cultural architectural value. In a municipality that already has adopted the provisions of RSA 79-E, the incentive will be available to replacement structures only if the municipality readopts the chapter in its entirety or adopts the provisions regarding replacement structures. (Thanks to LGC for this summary.)

Download these two information sheets for details on this important preservation planning tool: Page 1    Page 2  (both are PDFs)
 

Preservation Easements are tools to protect significant historic properties in perpetuity. The Preservation Alliance works with both individuals who are interested in donating an easement to preserve the character-defining values of their farm, home or in-town building as well as groups that are interested in protecting a community landmark. Contact Jennifer Goodman, our Executive Director, at 603-224-2281 for more information.

Mills and Dams

The New Hampshire Preservation Alliance formed a task force in February 2009 following a workshop on "Preserving Small Historic Hydro-Powered Mills" at the NH Farm and Forest Expo in Manchester.  Members include represenatives from the NH Preservation Alliance, the NH Division of Historical Resources, the NH Bureau of Dams, and several private mill owners.  Our goals are to provide information and resources to those wishing to preserving these historic resources.  Call Maggie Stier at 224-2281 for more information, ms@nhpreservation.org.

See the Cover Story in the Spring, 2009 Preservation Alliance Newsletter, "What Used to be Down by the Old Mill Stream? Preserving the State's Early Water Power Heritage"

Read the Meeting Minutes from February 27, 2009 (pdf)

Click here for information on the Small Mills and Dams / Hydropower Task Force Meeting at the Farm & Forest Expo, February 6, 2010, Manchester, NH

A Sampling of Mill Related Organizations/Businesses & their Websites Prepared for the N.H. Preservation Alliance by Don Woods, Woods & Co. Civil Engineering, No. Clarendon, VT. February, 2009

• The Society for the Preservation of Old Mills (SPOOM) www.spoom.org
• The International Molinological Society (TIMS) www.timsmills.info
• Rondout Woodworking, Inc. www.rondoutwoodworking.com
• B. E. Hassett Millwrights www.hassettmillwrights.com
• Pond Lilly Mill Restorations www.angelfire.com/journal/pondlillymill/index.html
• Community Hydro www.communityhydro.biz
• Water Wheel Factory www.waterwheelfactory.com
• Microhydropower www.microhydropower.com

Town Halls and other Municipal Buildings

The Townscape Institute, Inc. is a design, planning, education and advocacy organization that helps communities recognize and preserve townscapes, particularly in urban and village centers.

The League of Historic American Theatres is the one national organization devoted exclusively to the needs of historic theaters.

The New Hampshire Rural Development Council is a public/private partnership that fosters communication, cooperation, and information sharing between the regional, state, and federal programs that offer development assistance to New Hampshires rural communities.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation helps to preserve nationally significant historic structures and sites. For more information, contact National Trust for Historic Preservation, 1785 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20036 (202-588-6202).

The Preservation Education Institute is a non-profit organization that helps contractors, architects, building trades people and property managers in New Hampshire and Vermont to develop specialized preservation expertise through courses, workshops, tours, and lectures. The Institute also maintains lists of consultants, contractors, and craftspeople with preservation skills. For a minimal fee they provide names of qualified specialists. They also conduct on-site training workshops in preservation techniques. Their address is PO Box 1777, Windsor, VT 05089-0021 (802-674-6752; FAX802-674-6179); histwininc@valley.net

Historic New England employs experts in architectural conservation; historic carpentry, masonry, plaster; historic paint color analysis; and furniture and upholstery conservation. Other SPNEA staff members are experts in architectural history, historic house furnishings, textiles and wallpaper.

The New Hampshire Rural Development Council is a public/private partnership that fosters communication, cooperation, and information sharing between the regional, state, and federal programs that offer development assistance to New Hampshires rural communities.

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