From Preservation Online, the online magazine of the National Trust for Historic Preservation

www.preservationonline.org

Dear Preservation 911,

I am writing you out of grave concern that a 240-year-old farm with its flat-roofed Italianate farmhouse and 16 acres of land are in danger of being torn down and developed.

The Abbott Homestead, located in Concord, N.H., has been in the same family for 240 years. The family acquired the property, which was much larger than it is now, for 160 pounds in 1734, before Concord was even Concord. The home was built in 1760 on the site on which it stands today. Now, however, the family has dispersed, the last person to have lived the better part of their life in the home has died, and the family has reluctantly put the home on the market for $2.5 million. Pressed tin ceilings, historic wallpaper, built-ins, and a grand staircase adorn this farmhouse, which is in need of some repair.

Proposals have already been made to tear down the house and put in its place low-income condominiums. Please help me save this house. It is my dream, and the dream of the current owner, that the home and its land be preserved. If there is any way in which you could help, I would greatly appreciate it.

I'm thinking of a way in which the house could be preserved as an Agricultural History Museum, with subdivided community garden plots which could be rented for a small fee, a gift shop in one of the barns, and walking/cross-country skiing trails. The land would also be the perfect place to host the local farmer's market. Concord is going to need to lay down as many ideas on the table as possible in order to save this house and land.

If you would like more information, or have any questions, please feel free to ask. Concord, N.H., needs all the help it can get to save this 240-year-old landmark.
Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Colin P. Curley

E-mail the writer with advice, comments, or commiseration.

Got a 911 in your town? Send us an e-mail.

Preservation 911 is a message board open to all readers. While National Trust staff will respond to the extent feasible, this will not be possible in all cases. We encourage other readers involved in state or local preservation to respond with advice or assistance. To contact either a regional office of the National Trust, a statewide or local nonprofit organization, or your state's historic preservation office, click here for a state-by-state list.

The National Trust's regional and field offices bring the programs and tools of the Trust to communities across the country. They offer technical assistance through consultations and field visits and financial help through small grants. They hold educational programs for professional preservationists and work to foster policies that help historic places. They also provide leadership on issues that concern entire regions, such as saving historic schools, fighting sprawl, and revitalizing cities.

All Rights Reserved © Preservation Magazine | Contact us at: preservation@nthp.org