Where is the Center Meeting House located?
Our Center Meeting House is located in the town center of Newbury, New Hampshire, adjacent to the Town Offices at the intersection of Routes 103 and 103A.
Can I sponsor a pew?
38 pews now have sponsors, leaving 4 pews still available. At $5,000 to sponsor a pew, $190,000 has now been raised.
Sponsoring a pew is an act of support for the completion of the CMH restoration and its preservation. It comes with no specific rights, but does denote an intention to help bring this icon of Newbury back to life. But you will get your name on a brass plaque and you will get a full page to place your memories on and entered into a museum quality book for preservation.
A pew sponsorship is a way of leaving a legacy for you and your family and for supporting a beautiful building in the center of Newbury, NH.
What is the building's history?
The Center Meeting House has been entered in the National Register of Historic Places. It was nominated by the State Historic Preservation Officer and received this honor in January of 1980. Learn more about its wonderful history by clicking HERE.
Who owns the Center Meeting House?
The Center Meeting House of Newbury, NH, Inc. is a nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization that owns the Center Meeting House. But we don't feel like owners; we feel like stewards of the welfare of this grand old lady who was here before we got here and will be here when we have moved on. She belongs right where she is and she deserves our love and attention. xxxxxxxxx
Elected Directors serve on behalf of those who become members of this organization (you can read more about us by clicking HERE. You can become a member of the CMH for as little as $10, and help to determine the building’s future by sending in an Application.
Who are the members of the CMH?
Most are property owners and/or residents of Newbury or the surrounding area, who pay a small membership fee to support this important effort.
Where do the funds being used to restore the Center Meeting House come from?
To date, about 60% of our donations and pledges have come from the residents or property owners of Newbury. About 15% of our funding comes from our loan. The remaining funds have come from the combined donations of the people of New Hampshire through grants from the State of NH's LCHP program and two donations from the Town of Newbury:
- Private Donors: $780,000
- State of New Hampshire’s Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP): $200,000
- Town of Newbury: $175,000
- Events such as the Historic Homes Tour: $30,000
- Bank Loan: $200,000
Early in 2010 we received pledges of $100,000 from LCHIP and $100,000 from the town of Newbury. All but $20,000 of this money has now been received by CMH and and is being used to complete the physical restoration of the building. Individuals have contributed over $100,000 during this same time period. We hoped to make the building useable by the end of the summer of 2010 but things are just taking a bit longer than we had hoped. Some of the required work will not be completed until a few months later so we decided not to make it available for events until the rest of the work is completed. Since we are a dedicated band of unpaid CMH members and volunteers, we can report that 95% of the funds that we have raised have gone into actual restoration work or architectural design. We are proud of our efficient use of YOUR money!
What's been done so far?
Many people ask what's been happening at the Center Meeting House. People used to ask why the building still looks run down. While it has taken a great deal of time and effort time to raise the needed funds, negotiate with architects and construction companies, determine what needs to be done and the best way to do it, the building is now looking quite respectable both inside and out.
The Center Meeting House Architecture & Restoration Committee has moved carefully in its efforts to 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.
Once an Historic Structures Report of the building's condition and recommended repairs was prepared we broke all needed work into discrete projects.
To date, the following work has been completed:
- The Meeting House was lifted and a permanent foundation was installed. This was required to ensure a firm foundation to support the other spending that we knew would be required.
- Rotted structural members were replaced. Leaking has been the bane of the existence of the Center Meeting House.
- A new roof was installed. The building no longer looks like its back has been broken, because in truth its back WAS broken, but the actual broken structural members have now been replaced.
- Clapboards on three sides of the building were renewed. The back side was scraped, repaired and repainted in August of 2010. Discrete replacements were made where restoration was not possible.
- In 2008, the bell tower was brought to the ground for further evaluation.
- At its August 2009 meeting, the CMH Board of Directors reviewed its finances and voted to complete the work on the restoration of the Bell Tower and reinstall it atop the meetinghouse.
- Bell Tower restoration and re-installation was completed during the first week of December, 2009.
- With the Bell Tower completion, upwards of $1,050,000 had been expended on the building's restoration.
- Approximately $1,400,000 is required to complete the building. $1,215,000 has been raised or pledged at this time. A loan has been made to close the gap so that the building restoration can be drawn to a close soon. The loan closes the fundraising gap and also provides funding as we await pledges to be fulfilled, so all of the numbers above do not add up to 100%.
So the Center Meeting House is now safe and structurally sound, but some work is still required and the loan must be paid off. This is why we still need your help!
For more details on what's been completed to date, click HERE.
What still needs to be done?
- Restoration/Replacement of Remaining Clapboards - completed in August of 2010
- Replastering and repainting of the Interior - completed in August 2010
- Restoration/Replacement of Window Fans & Shutters - completed
- Floor Repairs - completed
- Seat Cushions for the Pews - completed
- Shades to Protect the Building's Interior historic paint work - completed
When all of these projects are completed, we will be ready to breath a sigh of relief, to continue our community events and to begin to use the building to "unite and enrich" our community.
How much money is needed?
As the full breadth of damage that the years and leaks had created was revealed in 2008, it was determined that a projected $1,475,000 would need to be raised to return the Center Meeting House to its full glory. It is looking like something less than that will now be required, but the final number is not yet known. We have raised over 85% of the projected funds needed (including pledges) and borrowed an estimated 14%. While project funding, including the loan, is near the 100% mark, we are still not totally clear on the final bill. Recent funding pledges will allow us to complete the shutters, fans and seat cushions with the hopes of completing everything before year's end.
How can I help?
We need you to join with us in completing this important project.
- Newsletter. We hope that you received out most recent newsletter in the mail in October 2010. This will give a nice snapshot of what has gone on over the past year.
- Membership. For as little as $10 a year individual, or $25 per year family, you can help us reach our goal!
- Donations. They are always welcome and much appreciated.
- Pew Sponsorship. Individuals, families, groups of friends, neighborhoods, clubs, or any other social grouping can pull together and sponsor one of the 4 remaining pews. Thirty-eight pews have received support from pew sponsors. Thank you sponsors!
- Volunteer! We are always looking for those who are willing to help or take on a leadership role to make things happen. Your time is gratefully accepted, much needed and sincerely appreciated. We welcomed two new directors to the board in July 2010. We thank Doug and Gloria Whelan, Mary Marzelli and Alice Lynn, who retired, for their invaluable service over a number of years.
Please contact us to learn more about any of these options.
Is the Center Meeting House open to the public?
The Center Meeting House is now open to the public on weekends from Memorial Day to Columbus Day. The times will be posted on the sign in front of the Meeting House. In addition, it is now available for use by the public for life cycle events such as weddings, musical events, theater, meetings. Please contact Maureen Rosen at
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for further information.
How can I stay updated on your progress?
This web site is our central information center; please bookmark it and return regularly! You can also join our mailing list by registering online (See Receive Updates in the bar on the right-hand side of each page)... it's easy, and it ensures we'll send you regular emails about our progress.
You can also be sure that we have your preferred mailing address and we will mail you our latest Newsletter each year in October or November. Mail the info to CMH, PO Box 50, Newbury, NH 03255 or email to one of the board members whose addresses can be found in this web site.
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Frequently Asked Questions