Holden historians work to preserve old town hall

HOLDEN – It’s not the oldest building in town, but with an 1872 construction date and its historical significance, the two-story white old town hall building is one worth preserving, Holden Historical Society members are saying.

The building, located next to Sinclair’s Log Cabin General Store on Route 1A, housed the town hall and Grange 544 until a new Holden municipal facility was built in 1975.

The goal of the town’s historical society is twofold, Counselor Robert Harvey, who serves as chairman of the committee, said Thursday.

“We want to develop and save that facility,” he said. “It would provide us with a facility for our collection and museum, and it would save that building.”

Paint is peeling off the walls, some rotten trim boards need replacing and the roof has problems, but overall the structure is sound, Harvey said.

“We’ve got grand ideas, but we hope they’re realistic ideas,” he said. “This [discussion] goes back 30 years.”

The committee, which strives to collect, preserve and promote the history of the community, is meeting at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the municipal building to discuss ways to preserve the old town hall, and is inviting residents to attend.

“We need people,” Harvey said. “A lot of the projects we envision are going to take people.”

The small group of history buffs also will work on bylaws for the committee and a new project involving collecting oral histories from elders in town.

“We have some people that are very long-time residents of Holden and we felt we need to record some of that oral history,” Harvey said.

Eighth-grade language arts teacher Trisha Smith, along with some of her pupils, is working with the historical society on the oral history undertaking.

“We’re just getting started on that project,” Harvey said.

The historical society also will have a display at the municipal building during Tuesday’s statewide election and will have several historic artifacts on hand including a ballot from a 1902 election and a quilt from the mid-19th century that are displayed on a library table from old town hall.

Anyone interested in finding out more about the historical society can attend the group’s monthly meeting, normally held 6:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month, or can leave a message for Harvey at the municipal building.