The Lyndeborough Historical Society expects to sign a purchase-and-sale agreement for the purchase of the United Church of Lyndeborough’s building this week.
After months of fundraising, the society has raised $47,000 in donations for the purchase of the historic building, according to society and Lyndeborough Heritage Commission Secretary Jessie Salisbury.
“We’ve been working on this for less than a year. I think we’ve done very well in that time,” Salisbury said. “We have a lot of community support. The majority of the people want to see this building saved.”
A purchase-and-sale agreement is a document where both sides agree to a price and terms of the sale of real estate but doesn’t complete the sale. The Rev. Paul Lemire first met with the town in January of 2021 to discuss the sale of the church. Lemire told the Select Board that the church had interest from a private buyer in 2020 for the building, which is used only as a summer church by the congregation. The church ultimately turned down the private buyer, but was willing to negotiate a sale of the building with the town.
The church has offered the building to the town by the church for a cost of $156,000. It was built in 1837 and is part of the town’s Historic District, along with the Town Pound and old Town Hall. The district as a whole, including the church, is included in the National Register of Historic Places. The town and Historical Society have been working since early 2021 with representatives from the church to purchase the building. It would both preserve the church as a historical building and use it as a public gathering space.
The Lyndeborough Historical Society has been working to re-establish itself as a nonprofit, after letting that status lapse, to be able to accept donations and apply for grants. That process has been completed, Salisbury said, and the commission is forging ahead with signing a purchase-and-sale agreement to hold the property until the fundraising to purchase it is complete. Once the building is purchased, the ultimate plan is for the Town of Lyndeborough to take over the ownership and maintenance of the building.
The society is hoping a large chunk of that fundraising will come through the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program, a grant provided for the purchase or maintenance of conservation land or historical properties. The Society intends to apply for a 50% matching grant to cover half of the cost to purchase the building and raise the remainder through further fundraising and smaller grants.
“We’re hoping to be able to do that next year,” Salisbury said.
Once the purchase-and-sale agreement is in place, Salisbury said the Historical Society plans to hold several events at the church this summer, both to fundraise and give residents the opportunity to see what it would be used for as a town property. Salisbury said those events are still being planned, but would include a concert series.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172 ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on Twitter @AshleySaariMLT.