southern new hampshire architecture

Samuel Tarbell Ames House // c.1890

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The Samuel Tarbell Ames House is a large, gambrel-roofed house located in New Ipswich, New Hampshire. The residence was built in 1890 for its namesake, Samuel Tarbell Ames (1810-1897), who was eighty years old when it was completed. Mr. Ames was a Boston businessman who summered in New Ipswich, as his wife was Mary Hartwell Barr, a daughter of Dr. James Barr, who lived in town. The house then passed to Samuel’s son, James Barr Ames (1846-1910), who was an Assistant Professor and Dean of the Harvard Law School, who took a great interest in Appleton Academy, serving as Trustee, and his widow donated this house to the Academy in 1912, after his death. The Ames House then served as a boarding house for teachers and students until it reverted to private ownership.

Weare Public Library // 1926

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The Colonial Revival style Weare Public Library was built in 1926, being the second purpose-built library building for the town of Weare, New Hampshire. After the Neo-Classical style Stone Memorial Building was taken over as town offices following a fire of the old town hall, local resident Eben Paige saw the need for a new designated library building. Upon his death in 1923, he left his entire estate, over $30,000, to the town to build a new free library. The Boston architectural firm of Kreider and Peterson were selected to design the building, which is still in use today.

Litchfield Community Presbyterian Church // 1844

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Litchfield, New Hampshire remained a rural agricultural town on the eastern banks of the Merrimack River from its founding by white settlers until after WWII when it rapidly became a bedroom community for nearby NH cities and Boston. The area’s Presbyterian residents needed a place to worship, separate from the more common congregationalists, and they built this Gothic and Greek Revival style church near the geographic center of town, a stone’s throw from the Merrimack River. The building features lancet windows, tracery, and a two-tiered belfry with classical pilasters and Gothic finials at the tower.

Gregg Free Library // 1907

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The Wilton Public and Gregg Free Library is the public library for the town of Wilton, New Hampshire and is among the town’s most grand architectural designs. The library was the gift of David Almus Gregg (1841-1928), a native of Wilton who owned a successful building parts business in Nashua manufacturing doors, window blinds, and window sashes with his father, David Sr., who lived in the home featured previously. Gregg was significantly involved in the design and construction of the building, providing the highest quality building materials and contractors to the project, which was estimated to cost $100,000 when completed in 1907. The architectural firm of McLean and Wright was commissioned to design the building, who completed it in the Classical Revival style, like many of their other library designs in New England.