The Flying Yankee train that was once stationed in Concord and the Hill Center Church are among the historic sites highlighted by the annual Seven to Save program from the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance.
In an unusual move, one item on the list is a concept rather than a structure or object: The preservation trades workforce.
“New Hampshire and the nation are facing a shortage of skilled tradespeople. If we don’t address the skills gap and increasing median ages we’ll limit preservation activity, lose historic resources, and lose valuable knowledge about traditional building methods – an important part of our economy,” said a statement from the Preservation Alliance.
The Seven to Save list has been handed out annually since 2006. It does not come with any money but provides expertise and guidance as well as attracting attention to landmarks that are threatened by neglect, insufficient funds or development.
This year’s list includes:
The Flying Yankee: This train engine was one of a very few stainless steel “streamliners” built, with a sleek futuristic shape and gleaming body. During most of its 22 years of service from 1935 to 1957, it was maintained at the huge Concord Shops of Boston & Maine Railroad, formerly on South Main Street.
Preservation groups have attempted for years to bring it back to Concord as a centerpiece for a transportation museum, but that plan appears to have fallen through. The train is owned by the state and kept near the Hobo Railroad in Lincoln.
Hill Center Church: This church was built in 1800, with changes made in 1847 after the Toleration Act, a New Hampshire law that formally separated church and state finances. The non-profit charged with preserving the National Register-listed landmark is anxious to revive its efforts 50 years after the building’s last restoration campaign. In addition to cosmetic work, the church also needs new programming and activity to keep it in the minds of Hill residents.
Bean Tavern, Raymond: Raymond purchased this long-vacant c. 1750 landmark in 2021 when it was advertised as being sold as “land only,” then voted to extend their historic district to include it. The listing will give a boost to the local effort to meet pressing needs like a new roof and plan its stewardship and new use. The tavern is featured on the town seal.
Carroll County Courthouse, Ossipee: This landmark needs a new use. The Ossipee Historical Society recently relinquished the 1916 building back to Carroll County when the vision of a county-wide historical museum and research center fell through.
St. John’s Methodist Church, Jefferson: This visible 1860s landmark, which stands on Route 2, will soon be vacated by the local historical society and revert back to the Methodist conference. The church needs a fair amount of investment. Its location close to the road, the site’s topography, and the structural concerns are all challenges.
Stone School, Newington: This 1920 National Register-listed school was recently condemned. It sits in the civic center of the seacoast town, adjacent to the Pease International Airport. Some in town want the property for a new fire station complex.