Washington Common Historic District - Washington, NH
Posted by: 
silverquill
N 43° 10.583 W 072° 05.777
18T E 736005 N 4784495
The three white buildings overlooking the Washington common are the Town Hall (1787), Congregational Church (1840), and the Old Center School (1884). It is one of those picture post card perfect New England Villages settled in 1768.
Waymark Code: WM1PZ1
Location: New Hampshire, United States
Date Posted: 06/19/2007
Views: 29
TOWN HALL - WASHINGTON, NEW HAMPSHIRE ~~ 1787
The Washington Town Hall was called a meetinghouse when it was erected in 1787. A hundred years later it was known as the Town House; today as the Town Hall. It is built along classic lines and proportions and originally there was nothing unusual abut it; it was one of hundreds like it. Now it is a very rare specimen. Originally, the Congregational Church and the town shared the use of the building. When it was built there was a two-story enclosed entrance, called a "porch," at each end.
In 1825 the bell tower replaced one porch (the other is still intact), and side and transom windows were added to the front door. Later in the 19th century the interior was altered to accommodate new uses: the lower boxpews were removed, and a floor inserted to create two stories. Town meetings were held here for over two hundred years, until the space available became too small (1990s), but the building has always been, and is now, in daily use for town business.
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH - WASHINGTON, NEW HAMPSHIRE ~~ 1787
The Washington Congregational Church building was erected not far from the original Meetinghouse on the Washington Common in 1840. (It was then called "The New Meetinghouse.")
The building and its sanctuary are of the traditional New England style, white inside and outside, simple and somewhat austere. It is likely that the pews in the sanctuary were recreated from those taken out of the original Meetinghouse. During the 1980s the building was raised and foundation walls and full basement inserted. The Church has been in continuous use since 1840.
CENTER SCHOOL - WASHINGTON, NEW HAMPSHIRE ~~ 1883
The center building (1883) on the Washington Common is the youngest and smallest of the three classic buildings.
For more than a hundred years this building served as the principal school house in Washington, and was known as the Center School. There had been an earlier school house near this site, a small brick structure, but by the 1880s it was both worn out and too small. About ten years of intense controversy (size, style, cost, location) preceded the construction of this building in 1883.
Eventually, it was decided to build a new school in the general style of the other town buildings, and place its facade flush with the Church. It proved to be a perfect solution, both for the needs of the school and the appearance of the town Common; and from that year forward it served as the Center School, and the whole Common has been the pride of the town.
