Preserving and protecting the history of Bartlett, NH
GREETINGS TO ALL,
The Bartlett Historical Society (BHS) Board of Directors is conducting a major project to renovate the former St. Joseph Church building in Bartlett Village. The building will be renovated and transformed into the “Bartlett Historical Society Museum” and opened to the public. We are very excited about this project and would like to tell you more about it.
St. Joseph Church, built in 1890, was the first Catholic Church in the Mount Washington Valley. It served the spiritual needs of its parishioners until 1999 when the church was closed and the parish consolidated into Our Lady of the Mountains Church in North Conway. The Bartlett School District purchased the building after it was closed and used it as a storage facility. In 2013, they announced a proposal to demolish this historic building. After a good deal of committee debate and study, it was decided that this building would make a great home for the Bartlett Historical Society.
Ironically, we were looking for a place to showcase our town’s history. Currently, the historical society does not have a central headquarters or a place to display “The Bartlett Collection” – the records and artifacts of our past generations. The church building presents us with an opportunity to build that showcase and more!
In June 2016, we signed a long term lease with the school district to become tenant “owners” of the building. We have the school district’s permission and encouragement to renovate the building and transform it into the “Bartlett Historical Society Museum.”
With a newly renovated historic building we will:
· Create a public museum displaying the history of Bartlett – “The Bartlett Collection”;
· Establish the headquarters for the historical society;
· Provide a stage for presentations on historic topics;
· Create a learning and research center for Bartlett’s past, and;
· Install an archive for our collection of Bartlett artifacts.
To accomplish this mission, we need the support of many donors who are willing to share our vision. We are working to raise $450,000 to cover renovation costs and another $250,000 to establish an endowment for the society to defray future operating costs. We would like to enlist your support in this ambitious effort.
We hope that the information on this website describing our project will inspire you to join us with a generous donation to the effort. Your support will help the Bartlett Historical Society Bartlett Historical Society Preserving and protecting the history of Bartlett, NH.
P.O. Box 514 Bartlett, NH 03812
Please contact us with any questions. We thank you for your support.
Norman Head President Bartlett Historical Society
Philip Franklin Bartlett Historical Society Secretary