The Board of Trustees of the Andover Historical Society is pleased to announce completion of a $42,770 project to repair the Potter Place Railroad Station’s slate roof and replace its gutters.
The Andover Historical Society, established to preserve the Andover’s history through the acquisition and conservation of property, artifacts, and stories, has finished work on a $42,770 project to repair the Potter Place Railroad Station roof and replace its copper gutters.
“The LCHIP award allowed us to repair the Station roof and stimulated generous donations,” said Jesse Schust, Vice-President of the Andover Historical Society. “It has significantly advanced our mission to protect this unique building for future generations. Our Railroad Station has never looked better!”
The Potter Place Railroad Station roof was in serious need of repairs, and over the years the platform had been damaged by rainwater pouring off its broad roof. Replacing copper gutters will prevent damage to a future new platform. The work was done by John Greene of GDC Slate & Copper from Deering, New Hampshire. John’s expertise is in the maintenance and restoration of historic slate roofs and in fabricating historically accurate gutters. John repaired the Station’s slate roof, matched new Vermont purple slate to existing slates, replaced the copper flashing, and fabricated copper gutters that attached to existing pins on the cornices and the existing iron downspouts.
Grant recipients are required to raise a minimum of one dollar for each dollar provided by LCHIP. This project leveraged $21,731 in local donations.
The Andover Historical Society
The Potter Place Railroad Station, built in 1874, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, contains the society’s collections, including railroad memorabilia and artifacts. Displayed outside are a caboose and a Boston and Maine railroad freight car, representatives of its long and important history in transportation.
In accordance with its mission statement, the Society’s Potter Place buildings, including the Railroad Station, 1912 Emon’s Store, and the circa 1900 freight house, are open free to visitors from Memorial Day to Columbus Day, Saturdays 10 AM to 3 PM and Sundays 12:30 to 3 PM
For further information, contact the Andover Historical Society at PO Box 167, Andover NH 03216 or Pres@nullAndoverHistory.org.
About New Hampshire’s Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP)
The New Hampshire Land and Community Heritage Investment Program is an independent state authority created by the legislature in 2000. LCHIP’s legislative mandate is to ensure the perpetual contribution of natural, cultural, and historic resources to the economy, environment, and quality of life in New Hampshire. LCHIP does this by providing matching grants to New Hampshire municipalities and non-profits to conserve and preserve the state’s most important natural, cultural, and historic resources.
The program has provided 530 grants which have helped to conserve close to 300,000 acres of land for food production, water quality, ecological values, timber management, and recreation, and it has supported projects to study and rehabilitate 324 historic structures and sites. Grants have been awarded in all parts of the state and in 195 of New Hampshire’s 234 communities. Fifty-four million dollars of state money have led to a total project value of more than $312 million. The money for LCHIP grants comes from fees on four kinds of documents recorded at the Registry of Deeds in every county of the state.
For more information about LCHIP, visit LCHIP.org or call 603 224-4113.