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United Baptist Church of Lakeport
was listed on
NH Preservation Alliance's 2021 Seven to Save!
NH Preservation Alliance's 2021 Seven to Save List highlights pandemic-related challenges, connections between art and economic vitality
The New Hampshire Preservation Alliance announced it's 2021 Seven to Save list on October 26th, highlighting vulnerable historic resources and related threats to community life and economic well-being exaggerated by the pandemic.
These places are both highly visible landmarks, and lesser-know significant places. "These properties seem very different from each other," said Nicholas Mitchell, chair of the NH Preservation Alliance board of directors, "but every one of these landmarks is an icon of life in New Hampshire at different times in our history," he said.
Preservation Alliance leaders emphasized that New Hampshire's small towns and historic buildings give our state it's distinctive and appealing character. All of the listees need transformative investment to become viable community assets again. "We need these places to survive and thrive," said Jennifer Goodman, executive director of the Preservation Alliance. "The mix of old an new building stock, as well as the design and scale of historic main street buildings, attract varied ages and types of people, help incubate small businesses and create attachments to communities that boost economic vitality," she said.
The Seven to Save announcement event was held virtually this year because of the pandemic. Past announcement location have included significant, once-threatened sites like Daniel Webster Farm in Franklin and the Wolfeboro Town Hall.
The United Baptist Church of Lakeport is a wonderful example of Victorian polychromatic design. This impressive wood-frame church remains largely as it was built in 1892. It's structural integrity is a risk. The 120-foot steeple will require partial dismantling to correct a lean and twisting caused by years of constant wind pressure. Additional repairs are needed to a corner roof support post whose deterioration has caused an interior sanctuary arch to drop several inches. The arch was temporarily secured so no further movement can occur until the post is replaced. Also, the building's stained-glass windows need extensive re-leading work to remain sound.
One of the success stories of the Seven to Save list in the Lakes Region is the South Baptist Church in Gilmanton which made the list in 2019. Thanks to the listing, fundraising to match it's LCHIP grant was successful and the church restoration is nearing completion.
Since 2006, the Preservation Alliance's annual Seven to Save list has helped attract attention and resources to irreplaceable landmark's around the state. More than half are now considered out of danger or saved. Many owners and advocates for the former listees used the designation to help develop new solutions and secure new investments. Many places are in the process of rehabilitation, while others continue to need significant additional help. A few have been lost. Criteria for selection include: historical significance, imminence of threat, and potential impact of listing a site.
Here's the link to the NH Preservation Alliance's complete list of Seven to Save for 2021.