Starksboro Meetinghouse, Starksboro
March 15, 2024 —
The Preservation Trust of Vermont announced today a Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization grant of $100,000 to the Starksboro Meetinghouse to support exterior repairs, structural improvements, and the expansion of the Starksboro Cooperative Preschool.
The Starksboro Village Meetinghouse, constructed in 1840 in the Gothic Revival style, has a long history of serving the community. The first floor was built to house three of Starksboro’s congregations while the lower level was home to the original town hall. It was the Civil War recruitment post, the founding home for the Starksboro public library, and the host of a community Christmas candlelight service for over 50 years. The upper floor is still open for community purposes and the lower level is now home to the Starksboro Cooperative Preschool (SCP). Bruhn funds will support exterior repairs, structural improvements, and the expansion of the SCP, ensuring that the building continues to serve the Starksboro community, including its youngest residents.
“The Preservation Trust of Vermont, in partnership with the National Parks Service, is excited to support projects like the Starksboro Meetinghouse that will help preserve and revitalize Vermont’s rural communities,” said Ben Doyle, PTV president. “We congratulate the community champions who are leading this work and thank Senator Sanders, Senator Welch, and Congresswoman Balint for their support of this wonderful program. We would also like to acknowledge former Senator Leahy, for his work in establishing this important national program and proposing that it be named after his good friend, and former PTV President, the late Paul Bruhn.”
The Starksboro Meetinghouse project and the Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grant program are supported by the Historic Preservation Fund administered by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior. The program supports the preservation and restoration of buildings and community gathering spaces of economic and social significance in rural communities with fewer than 7500 residents. Additional recipients of the Bruhn Historic Revitalization subgrants include the McIndoe Falls Academy in Barnet, the Marshfield Village Store, the Kimball Public Library in Randolph, the Skinner Block in Royalton, Moscow Mill in Stowe, and the Windham Meeting House. The grants range from $50,000 to $100,000 and will be used toward structural repairs, roof replacement, window restoration, exterior work, restoration of significant interior finishes, and code improvements.
“We are glad to see this federal funding support the preservation of historic sites in rural communities throughout Vermont. Each recipient represents a unique part of our state’s history and, thanks to the good work of the Preservation Trust of Vermont, will remain protected and preserved long into the future,” said Sen. Sanders, Sen. Welch, and Rep. Balint. “We look forward to seeing the role these historic community sites will play for generations to come.”
