Town Of Milford: Town Heritage Commission Preserving Important Milford Structures

Milford NH

15 February, 2022

9:09 AM

Description

Press release from the Town of Milford: February 14, 2022 - 10:42am Milford Bandstand Listed on Statewide Endangered Properties ListMilford's Historic Laurel School House/Scout House Windows Restored          [MILFORD] – The Milford Heritage Commission announces progress on two significant projects of interest to Milford citizens.  The Commission's charge is to assist the community in recognizing and protecting local heritage, places, people and events across the many land use policies implemented by the Town.  In 2021, the Heritage Commission engaged in efforts to protect and preserve two major Milford landmarks.    The iconic Milford Bandstand, situated at the heart of Milford's downtown, will soon require restoration in order to continue its central function as a gathering place.  The Milford Bandstand is a natural gathering place and focal point for social, musical, and political events in town. According to Former State Architectural Historian James Garvin "It is one of the two best-designed historic bandstands in New Hampshire."   Through the efforts of Heritage Commission members, the Milford Bandstand was accepted to the NH Preservation Alliance's 2021 "Seven to Save" list on October 26th.  This list highlights vulnerable historic resources across NH and attracts attention and resources to irreplaceable landmarks that are under-used or threatened by neglect, insufficient funds, or unsympathetic development.  Designation as a "Seven to Save" landmark gives the Milford Bandstand priority consideration for grant funds as the Heritage Commission develops a plan to assess and restore the iconic structure.   "Growing concerns about rotten wood and the structure's integrity and safety, as well as pressure to upgrade the electrical and AV capabilities of the bandstand, led the town of Milford to propose replacing the Bandstand, in whole or in part, with newer materials. The initial discussions did not emphasize preservation. The Town has also struggled to obtain the expertise needed to evaluate the Bandstand's needs and conduct repairs appropriately.  The Milford Heritage Commission was quick to advocate for restoration and preservation when it learned of that the Bandstand was at risk" said David Palance, Milford Heritage Commission Chair. "The Heritage Commission is optimistic that the Seven to Save listing will help the Commission ensure the Bandstand's future by facilitating the development of a preservation plan, attracting necessary funding and leveraging the Preservation Alliance's expertise to find qualified craftspeople to complete the work. The goal is to maintain and expand the ways that the bandstand serves its community, and to preserve an important and beloved part of Milford's history."   The Heritage Commission has begun working with the Preservation Alliance to determine the appropriate next steps, beginning with soliciting quotes for a detailed assessment of the structure's current needs.  That assessment will be used to guide the work to be done in the future.  The Commission is thrilled that the Alliance has so notably recognized the importance of this community gathering space.   In addition to the Bandstand, the Heritage Commission focused its 2021 preservation activities on the less-well-known Laurel Schoolhouse at Shephard Park.  Commonly referred to as the "Scout House," the former schoolhouse was built prior to 1846 as the "Abbot" Schoolhouse near Ponemah Hill Road and later moved to Shepherd Park.  There, it was renamed the "Laurel" Schoolhouse. The building is currently owned by the Town of Milford and leased by the American Legion Post 23 for use by the Scouts.    In the spring of 2021, the Scouts asked the Town of Milford for assistance with ventilation issues in the building.  The windows in the building had long been secured to be inoperable.  This lack of ventilation became a concern during the pandemic and restricted the Scouts' use of the building.  To address the problem, the Historical Commission advised that restoration would be preferable to replacement.  Through the combined efforts of the Town's Board of Selectmen, the Scouts and the Heritage Commission, the Town engaged windows restoration expert Andrew Roeper of Winn Mountain Window Restoration to facilitate two days of hands-on workshops in October.  Approximately 10 Milford volunteers dedicated two Saturdays of their time and were guided through the process of disassembling, re-glazing and restoring the schoolhouses' oldest windows to be fully operational.  The most historically relevant windows, as well as those needed for cross-ventilation, have been restored and made operational for less than the cost of replacement.     In 2022, the Schoolhouse windows will require painting, some additional glazing work and operationalization of a lower priority window at the front of the building.  In addition, the Commission is securing storm windows and doors.  The storms serve as added protection and allow for increased ventilation options.   Private donations made by Steve Trombly and Clayton Gray have also made possible the installation of sorely needed new granite steps in the spring.  The Schoolhouse has also caught the attention of the NH Preservation Alliance, who is now assisting the Heritage Commission with a grant-funded assessment process.  Like the Bandstand, this assessment process will enable the Commission to create a methodical and detailed plan for the building's long-term needs.  The Heritage Commission plans to build on that assessment to secure public and private monies for the building's preservation.   The Heritage Commission is deeply grateful for the commitment and volunteerism provided by the Milford Board of Selectmen, Milford Scouts and several individual Milford residents and organizations in support of these projects.  In addition, we would like to thank the following donors, who provided material support to the Schoolhouse workshops in the form of donated supplies and food: Balcolm Brothers Rentals; Milford Paint and Wallpaper; The County Stores; The Pasta Loft.  Finally, American Legion Post 23 has made possible the purchase and installation of storm windows and doors through a sizable donation of $2,000.   Those wishing to donate to either of these projects may do so by sending a check payable to "The Town of Milford, NH" to: Town of Milford, 1 Union Square, Milford NH 03055 Attention: Tina Philbrick.  Please note "Schoolhouse" or "Bandstand" in the memo field. Contact:  David Palance, Chairman, Town of Milford Heritage Commission, (603) 321-6068, [email protected]   This press release was produced by the Town of Milford. The views expressed here are the author's own.