Every other week on NHPR, we like to highlight a New Hampshire nonprofit that’s providing a great service, right here in the Granite State. On this week’s Give Back New Hampshire, we’ll be hearing from the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance. Founded in 1985, the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance strengthens communities and local economies by supporting and encouraging the revitalization and protection of historic buildings and places.
New Hampshire Preservation Alliance
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New Hampshire Preservation Alliance
New Hampshire Preservation Alliance reps, NH Barn Committee members and friends visit an active rehabilitation project in Boscawen.
This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.
Jennifer Goodman: My name is Jennifer Goodman. I’m the executive director of the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance.
Beverly Thomas: And my name is Beverly Thomas. I’m the deputy director of the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance.
Jennifer Goodman: New Hampshire Preservation Alliance helps with all kinds of projects all over the state, from really light touch assistance, like somebody who’s looking for help on a roof treatment or a moisture issue in their old house, to a very, very complicated save of an old mill building, old school, old industrial project of some sort.
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Beverly Thomas: We have a very active barn program here in New Hampshire. We love our barns in New Hampshire. Want to see them stay, love to see them reused and restored. So we have a great, very active program with educational resources on our website. We do barn tours to help promote barn preservation.
Jennifer Goodman: I think we’re really fortunate in New Hampshire to have really special places and people who are energized and willing to help steward and save and reuse them. Barns are one example of what we would even call an endangered species that are very vulnerable to loss across the state, and once they’re gone, they’re gone. So our work is all about trying to help them survive and thrive.
Paula Gilman: My name is Paula Gilman and I’m from Gilmanton, actually, Lower Gilmanton and my friend Sue Kelley Leclerc and I first went to the Preservation Alliance way back in 2016 because we wanted to revitalize and restore the Kelley Corner Schoolhouse, and it’s the only one room schoolhouse that still exists in Gilmanton that’s owned by the school district, where there were at one time as many as 18.
They also helped us with the First Baptist Church in Lower Gilmanton. In order to get a grant, number one, you have to be on the state register or the Federal Register, but then you have to have a building assessment. And we were shocked when we found out the cost of a building assessment. Then we were happy to learn that the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance will help with a grant from them towards that building assessment.
Jennifer Goodman: We’re so fortunate to have leaders like Paula and Sue to help move these projects along. So it’s a great, great synergy.
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Jennifer Goodman: Preservation Alliance works statewide in every town and city across the state. It’s fun talking to you here in Concord, where there’s great preservation activity going on, people taking care of their old houses [or a] Main Street that’s really historic and vibrant, great reuses like churches for housing, and where even our office is in the old stable building for the Eagle Hotel.
There’s also preservation challenges here in Concord, like there are throughout the rest of the state. Farms that are vulnerable on the edges, there’s commercial buildings that need additional investment, and we’ve been working really hard on the historic Gasholder building. It’s the last of its kind in the country, and we’ve stabilized it in conjunction with its owner, Liberty Utilities. But it still needs a new life, it needs a next chapter, and we’re working really hard on that.
Paula Gilman: The Kelley Corner Schoolhouse or the First Baptist Church could not have been done without New Hampshire Preservation Alliance backing us. So that’s that’s a huge, huge thank you, a huge shout out to New Hampshire Preservation Alliance.
CONCORD – While Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte has said she opposes increasing highway toll rates across the state, the Senate voted Thursday to increase rates for out-of-state license plate holders.
It now goes to the House for consideration.
This would be a $1 increase for those who have out of state plates going through the tolls at Hooksett, Hampton and Bedford for out-of-state plates, a 75 cent hike for those taking Hampton’s Exit 2 and on the Spaulding turnpike at Rochester, and a 50 cent hike for those taking the exit off I-93 to Hooksett.
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An analysis in the bill shows that this would increase toll revenue by $53.3 million in fiscal year 2027 and go up each year to generate $81.4 million a year in 2036.
Senate Bill 627 passed on a voice vote with two Republicans, Senators Regina Birdsell of Hampstead and William Gannon of Sandown opposing.
Senator Mark E. McConkey, R-Freedom, moved to take the bill off the table and offered an amendment. He said the last time there was a systemwide increase to the turnpike toll was 19 years ago.
“I am sure we could all agree the cost of operations…has continued to escalate when revenue is not rising with it,” and he noted that with an enterprise fund, the state can only spend what it takes in.
The state has just completed a 10-year highway plan and there was a $400 million shortfall in projects that could not be paid for under the current income.
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McConkey said the measure would not increase tolls for New Hampshire drivers with a state license plate.
“Why don’t we ask our neighbors,” to pay a toll increase. “We are getting the best of all worlds,” by passing the bill, he said, including “protecting our residents” and having resources for improvements to the turnpike system.
Sen. Gannon, R-Sandown, asked McConkey if there are any studies on impacts near the border on businesses.
If implemented, McConkey said the state will be the 27th lowest in per mile cost still. McConkey said the bill would also increase from seven to 14 days the amount of time for those with NH license plates to pay for a toll adding there are other states that also have different rates for out-of-state users.
The Hampton toll cost would go from $2 to $3, while Hooksett and Bedford would rise from $1 to $2 for out-of-state plates.
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New Hampshire currently has the lowest rate per mile among states with tolls roads. The governor said she does not support a toll increase.
“We are not going to put a burden on drivers for a toll increase,” Ayotte said. “Families are struggling.”
WILTON, N.H. (WHDH) – A woman died in a Wilton, New Hampshire, house fire Wednesday morning, according to the New Hampshire State Fire Marshal’s Office.
At 9:08 a.m., Wilton firefighters responded to Burns Hill Road after a caller said their home was filling up with smoke. When they arrived, a single-family home was on fire and they found out two people were still inside on the second floor.
A man and a woman were both taken out of the house by firefighters and taken to Elliott Hospital. The woman was pronounced dead and the man is in serious condition.
Officials have not released the name of the victim at this time.
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At this time, investigators are looking into the cause of the fire and are trying to determine if a power outage in the area played a factor. The fire is not currently considered suspicious.
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