Center Meeting House

WE'RE ON THE DOWNHILL SIDE OF COMPLETION

Old Home Day kicked off the summer with some delightful food and outstanding music as the Center Meeting House presented the New England Brass Consort at Mount Sunapee's Spruce Lodge and the staff at the mountain outdid itself with a wonderful buffet that we will have a hard time to surpass in the future!

And now, with support from so many in Newbury, including the Town itself, and the State of New Hampshire through its Land & Community Heritage Investment Program we see the funding needed to bring the building restoration essentially to completion.

It's hard not to look forward to the fall when a possible celebration will take place to officially open the building so that it can fulfill its mission and our organization's vision for its place in the forefront of our community.

Even the future brides are sensing the possibilities as we have had our first tentative request for a possible wedding date in October.

It is all possible because of the generostity of the people of our community and the dedication of a group of citizens who have been willing to serve on the Meeting House board and weather all the "slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" to bring this building and its future into the present.

Speaking of our VISION STATEMENT

“It is our Vision to conserve the Center Meeting House for future generations and to make it a center for activities that will unite and enrich our community.”

Welcome to the Center Meeting House web site.  Enjoy the photo of the new tower.  What a great sight!

Things have been moving along for the Center Meeting House.  It's not just the new bell tower!  In 2009, for the approximately final four months  beginning August 26, 2009 we had over 1,360 visits to this web site, just another indication of how important the Center Meeting House and its restoration are to our community.

Peruse the site for all kinds of fascinating information about the meetinghouse.  But for the very latest in what is happening, go directly to the "NEWS" button above this article. 

We hope that you will find interesting information about this grand old building which sits in the center of our town.  Over the past more than five years it has seen many interesting events as we work to restore it and make it useful for our community again.

It is truly on the verge of once again being the heart and soul of our town, Newbury, New Hampshire.

The Center Meeting House restoration brings back a building which has been the architectural focus of Newbury for 178 years.  James L. Garvin, the State of NH's Architectural Historian has said the following about the building, "Newbury Center Meeting House retains great integrity of frame and finish, and exhibits the competence and skill of its builders.  Despite some changes carried out in the late nineteenth century when the church found renewed use as a summer chapel, the building exhibits much of its original interior and exterior joinery, which represents an excellent example of late federal-period design.  Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, the meeting house is one of New Hampshire's most significant small religious buildings"

The current renovation of the Center Meeting House which is a 501(c)3 charity registered with the IRS offers an exciting opportunity for anyone who is interested in playing a part in one of the town's historic moments. When completed, this glorious building will be a showcase of our town's history, and serve as a grand location for a variety of town-wide events, or intimate family, cultural or civic gatherings.

The Center Meeting House Architecture & Restoration Committee has moved slowly in its efforts to carefully ensure that each and every step of the renovation process is as true to the building's history as possible, to preserve the building for another 175 years.  An Historic Architect, as well as the state itself, keeps a watchful eye to insure that it retains it's 1832 flavor to the fullest extent possible.

2010

We have two strategies to fulfill.  First, we envision restoring the building to its original condition using quality workmanship and materials.  Second, we want the building to be useable by the community for events, large and small, that will unite us and enrich our lives.

The pace of our work has been dictated by our fundraising efforts (learn more about this by viewing our Frequently Asked Questions page).

• We have raised the money needed to bring the project to an essential completion this year.
• We have again attracted a membership of almost 230 people who are interested in the well-being of our treasure, the Center Meeting House.
• This is in keeping with the report that in 2009, 230 people chose to be members of this historic restoration project.
• Great towns do great projects!  And this is a momentous event for Newbury, NH and one that will be remembered for generations as a another defining moment in our history.