The Lyndeborough Historical Society started a fundraising campaign to raise $156,000 to purchase the United Church of Lyndeborough building in the town’s center and turn it into a town-owned property.
“We are hoping to accomplish this,” said Historical Society Secretary Jessie Salisbury. “It is the focal point of the village center, and it would be a crime to have something happen to it.”
The church, built in 1837, and located next to the old Town Hall and Town Pound, is part of the town’s historic district. When townspeople heard word last year that an offer had been made on the church, those who wanted to see the sanctity of the historic structure preserved stepped forward to see if the town would be interested in taking on the structure and preserving it for future use.
Salisbury said around June of 2020, administrators of the church approached the Historical Society asking if there was interest in purchasing the church.
“We started moving then,” Salisbury said. Rumors were rampant, she said, about what could happen to the property and possible interested buyers. And while the ideal scenario for the Historical Society would be to see the building continue its legacy as a church, Salisbury said, the next priority was to ensure that the building is preserved.
The Lyndeborough United Church owns both the 1837 church in the old town center on Center Road, which is the church the town is looking to purchase, as well as the Village Church on Putnam Hill Road.
It has not had any services held on the grounds this year, due to COVID-19, but was previously in active use during the summer months.
After receiving the blessing of the Select Board, the Historical Society entered negotiations with church officials to purchase the church, and have now started to raise funds for a significant down payment – and within a very short period of time, have been able to raise $10,000 toward their goal.
Salisbury said the Historical Society’s initial goal is to have 10 percent of the purchase price – $15,600 – by the end of this year, to put a down payment on the church and put in place a purchase and sales agreement. She said with the majority already raised and still three-quarters of the year to go, she’s confident that the Historical Society can reach that goal.
She said once the purchase and sales agreement is in place, the Historical Society hopes to reach an agreement that allows the Society and the town to begin using the church as a community space.
“It would become an event venue,” Salisbury said. “It’s a beautiful spot. My daughter was married there.”
Salisbury said the intent is to allow use of the space as a rental for weddings, funerals, public gatherings, and as a music venue.
The Historical Society intends to schedule an open house tour of the building tentatively scheduled for mid-May, and also to hold fundraising events at the church throughout the summer months, but are also currently accepting cash donations.
Those who would like to contribute to the purchase of the church can send checks to Historical Society President Stephanie Roper at 35 Brandy Brook Road in Lyndeborough, with checks made out to Lyndeborough Historical Society Building Fund.