Old Grafton County Courthouse

Last updated
Old Grafton County Courthouse
PlymouthNH HistoricalSocietyMuseum.jpg
USA New Hampshire location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location1 Court St., Plymouth, New Hampshire
Coordinates 43°45′29″N71°41′21″W / 43.75806°N 71.68917°W / 43.75806; -71.68917 Coordinates: 43°45′29″N71°41′21″W / 43.75806°N 71.68917°W / 43.75806; -71.68917
Area0.2 acres (0.081 ha)
Built1774 (1774)
Part of Plymouth Historic District (ID86000343)
NRHP reference No. 82001677 [1]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPApril 29, 1982
Designated CPMarch 14, 1986

The Old Grafton County Courthouse is a historic courthouse building at 1 Court Street in Plymouth, New Hampshire. This modest wood-frame building was built in 1774 to serve as one of two courthouses for Grafton County, which had just been established; it is one of the oldest surviving civic structures in the state. It is now the museum of the Plymouth Historical Society. [2] The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982, [1] and included in the Plymouth Historic District in 1986. [3]

Contents

Description and history

The Old Grafton County Courthouse stands in the town center of Plymouth, on the south side of Court Street just west of the town hall. It is a square wood-frame structure, 34 feet (10 m) on each side, with a truncated hip roof topped by a cupola. The open cupola has square posts at the corners, and is covered by a low-pitch hip roof. The main facade of the building faces north, and is three bays wide, with sash windows flanking the main entrance. The entrance is sheltered by a gabled hood supported by simple triangular bracketing. A small ell projects from the rear of the building. The interior of the building consists of a single large chamber, whose styling is reflective of 1876 alterations. [4]

The courthouse was built in 1774, shortly after Grafton County was established, and Plymouth was named one of its shire towns. It was described at the time of its construction as having "a stately cupola out of proportion to the diminutive size of the structure". After a new courthouse was built in 1823, the building was sold and moved to the outskirts of Plymouth, and used as a wheelwright's shop, undergoing significant alteration to accommodate that function. In 1876 the building was acquired by Henry W. Blair, who sought to preserve the historic building. He had it moved it to its present location and adapted for use as a library, which was managed by the local Young Ladies' Library Association. The cupola, lost during its use as a shop, was added back sometime before 1906. [4] The building is now home to the Plymouth Historical Society.

See also

Related Research Articles

Union Church (Durham, Maine) United States historic place

The Union Church, also once Durham Town Hall, is a historic civic and religious building at 744 Royalsborough Road in Durham, Maine. Built in 1835 as a multi-denominational church, it is a distinctive local example of late Federal architecture with Greek and Gothic Revival features. From 1922 until 1986, it served as town hall, and now houses the local historical society. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.

Canaan Meetinghouse United States historic place

The Canaan Meetinghouse is a historic meeting house on Canaan Street in Canaan, New Hampshire. Built in 1794, with some subsequent alterations, it is a good example of a Federal period meeting house, serving as a center of town civic and religious activity for many years. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, and included in the Canaan Street Historic District the following year. The building is still owned by the town, and is available for rent.

Trinity Church (Holderness, New Hampshire) United States historic place

Trinity Church is a historic Episcopal church, located in a small cemetery on New Hampshire Route 175 in Holderness, New Hampshire. Built in 1797, it is one of only two surviving 18th-century buildings in the state that was built as a church. It is also the only major surviving structure associated with the life of Samuel Livermore, a prominent New Hampshire statesman and jurist. The church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. It is maintained by the cemetery's association, and is occasionally used for services.

Littleton Town Building United States historic place

The Littleton Town Building, also known as the Littleton Opera House, is a historic municipal building at 1 Union Street in Littleton, New Hampshire. Built on a steep embankment overlooking the Ammonoosuc River in 1894-5, it is a good example of a Late Victorian municipal building, which continues to serve that purpose today. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

Park Hill Meetinghouse United States historic place

The Park Hill Meetinghouse is a historic meeting house on Park Hill in Westmoreland, New Hampshire. Built in 1764, and extensively restyled in the early 19th century, it is a fine example of Federal and Greek Revival architecture, influenced by the work of regionally prominent architect Elias Carter. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. It is now owned by the Westmoreland Park Hill Meetinghouse and Historical Society.

Wilder-Holton House United States historic place

The Wilder-Holton House is a historic house museum at 226 Main Street in Lancaster, New Hampshire. Built in 1780, this two-story timber-frame house is believed to be the first two-story house built in the area, and to be the oldest surviving house in Coos County. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. The house is now owned by the Lancaster Historical Society, which operates it as a museum.

Carroll County Court House (New Hampshire) United States historic place

The Carroll County Court House is a historic former courthouse at 20 Courthouse Square in Ossipee, New Hampshire. Built in 1916, it is the county's oldest surviving courthouse, and a prominent local example of Colonial Revival architecture. It housed county offices until the 1970s, was a courthouse until 2004, and now houses the Ossipee Historical Society. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007, and the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places in 2003.

Sandown Old Meetinghouse United States historic place

The Sandown Old Meetinghouse is a historic meeting house on Fremont Road in Sandown, New Hampshire. Built in 1773, this two-story timber-frame structure is a virtually unaltered late-Colonial civic and religious structure. It is believed to be unique in the state for its level of preservation, both internal and external. The building, now maintained by a nonprofit organization, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, and the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places in 2011.

Dorchester Common Historic District United States historic place

The Dorchester Common Historic District encompasses three public buildings that front the public common in the village of Dorchester, New Hampshire. The oldest of the three buildings is the schoolhouse, which dates to 1808 and is now a local museum. The Dorchester Community Church was built in 1828, and the town hall in 1844, on the site of the town's first (1828) town hall. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985; the church was also separately listed in 1980.

Jeremiah Hutchins Tavern United States historic place

The Jeremiah Hutchins Tavern is a historic former tavern on United States Route 302 in northwestern Bath, New Hampshire. Built by 1799 by one of the town's early settlers, the building is one of the town's finest surviving examples of transitional Georgian-Federal architecture. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

Whipple House (Ashland, New Hampshire) United States historic place

The Whipple House is a historic house museum at 4 Pleasant Street in Ashland, New Hampshire. Built about 1837, it is a well-preserved example of a mid-19th century Cape-style house, that is relatively architecturally undistinguished. It is significant for its association with George Hoyt Whipple (1878–1976), a Nobel Prize-winning doctor and pathologist who was born here. Whipple gave the house to the town in 1970, and it is now operated by the Ashland Historical Society as a museum, open during the warmer months. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

Thayers Hotel United States historic place

Thayer's Hotel is a historic hotel building at 136 Main Street in downtown Littleton, New Hampshire. Built in 1843, it is a prominent precursor to the region's later grand resort hotels, and a distinctive example of Greek Revival architecture with a monumental temple front. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. It is now operated as Thayer's Inn.

Joseph Gowing Farm United States historic place

The Joseph Gowing Farm is a historic farmhouse on Page Road in Dublin, New Hampshire. Built in 1908 as part of a gentleman's farm, it is a reconstruction of a late-18th century farmhouse, and a good example of Georgian Revival architecture. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

High Tops School United States historic place

The High Tops School, also known as Schoolhouse No. 9, is a historic school building at the corner of Reynolds and River roads in Westmoreland, New Hampshire. Built in 1789 and remodeled in 1846, it is one of a small number of district schoolhouses in the region to survive demolition or adaptation to residential use. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984, and the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places in 2007. It is now owned by the Westmoreland Park Hill Meeting House and Historical Society.

Plymouth Historic District (Plymouth, New Hampshire) United States historic place

The Plymouth Historic District encompasses a cluster of five civic buildings and the town common of Plymouth, New Hampshire. The buildings are arrayed on the west side of Plymouth's town common, laid out not long after the town's settlement in 1763. The 2-acre (0.81 ha) district includes the town hall/court house, the Pemigewasset National Bank building, and the US Post Office building, as well as the Old Grafton County Courthouse. The Plymouth Congregation Church also falls within the district bounds, but is not considered contributing. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.

Madison School, District No. 1 United States historic place

The Madison School, District No. 1 is a historic one-room district schoolhouse, located on the grounds of the Madison Elementary School on New Hampshire Route 113 in Madison, New Hampshire. The school was built in 1835, and continues to exhibit Greek Revival characteristics despite alterations in 1873 and 1951. It was used as a school until 1950, has hosted town meetings, and has served as the local library. It is presently home to the local historical society. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, and the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places in 2006.

Moultonborough Town House United States historic place

The Moultonborough Town House is the former town hall of Moultonborough, New Hampshire. It is located on New Hampshire Route 25 in Moultonborough's main village, and is now home to the local historical society. It was built in 1834, and is one of the oldest town hall buildings in Carroll County. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989, and the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places in 2004.

New Ipswich Town Hall United States historic place

The New Ipswich Town Hall is a historic academic and civic building on Main Street in the center village of New Ipswich, New Hampshire. The 1+12-story wood-frame structure was built in 1817 to serve the dual purpose of providing a town meeting place, and to provide space for a private academy. The building has been little altered since 1869, when it was substantially reconfigured solely for town use. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

Nettleton House United States historic place

The Nettleton House is a historic house at 20 Central Street in Newport, New Hampshire. The two-story brick structure was probably built in the 1830s, since it exhibits a commonality of materials and construction techniques with the nearby former county courthouse, which was built in 1824. It was probably built by Joel Nettleton, and is referred to in deeds as the Nettleton homestead. Nettleton operated a tavern and stage coach. The house, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977, is now home to the Newport Historical Society Museum.

Old Sullivan County Courthouse United States historic place

The Old Sullivan County Courthouse was the first county courthouse of Sullivan County, New Hampshire. Construction of the brick building in 1825-26 was instrumental in securing Newport's status as the shire town of the county when it was established in 1827. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. The building is now in commercial use.

References

  1. 1 2 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. "About the Society". Plymouth Historical Society. Retrieved 2014-04-14.
  3. "NRHP nomination for Plymouth Historic District". National Park Service. Retrieved 2014-04-14.
  4. 1 2 "NRHP nomination for Old Grafton County Courthouse". National Park Service. Retrieved 2014-04-14.