Centennial Hall (North Hampton, New Hampshire) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Centennial Hall
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | 105 Post Rd., North Hampton, New Hampshire |
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| Area | Less than one acre |
| Built | 1840 |
| Architectural style | Stick Style |
| NRHP reference No. | 16000144 |
| Added to NRHP | April 5, 2016 |
Centennial Hall is a special old building located at 105 Post Road in North Hampton, New Hampshire. It was built in 1876 and has a unique look called Stick Style architecture. For a long time, it has been used by the town as both a school and a place for community meetings. Because of its history and cool design, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
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What is Centennial Hall?
Centennial Hall stands on the northeast side of the town green in North Hampton. This green is a triangular area where Post Road (New Hampshire Route 151) and New Hampshire Route 111 meet. The building faces west, right next to the Congregational church.
A Look at its Style
Centennial Hall is a two-story building made of wood. It has a special roof shape called a "truncated hip roof." The outside is covered with horizontal wooden boards called clapboards. The front of the building has three sections. The middle section sticks out a little and goes up to an open bell tower with a pyramid-shaped top.
Look closely at the roof edges! They have fancy decorations called brackets. The front of the tower also has cool wooden designs, which are typical of the Stick Style. The windows on the first floor have small, decorative gables above them. Even the window frames have tiny brackets. The main entrance is covered by a porch with a hip roof and more Stick Style decorations.
A Place for Learning and Community
Centennial Hall was built between 1875 and 1876. A generous person named John W. F. Hobbs, who grew up in North Hampton and became successful in Boston, donated money for it. The town needed new school buildings because the old ones were too small and crowded. The church next door even gave the land for the new hall.
From School to Community Hub
The first floor of Centennial Hall was used for school classrooms. The second floor was a large meeting hall for the community. Later, a dining area was added in the attic. This building was home to elementary and junior high students until 1949.
After being a school, the building was used for different things for a while. In 1998, a local group that wanted to save the building bought it. They worked to protect this important piece of North Hampton's history. Today, Centennial Hall continues to be a valuable community space.
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