Concord Gas Light Company Gasholder House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Concord Gas Light Company Gasholder House
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HAER photo, 1982
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | Gas Street, Concord, New Hampshire |
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| Area | 2.7 acres (1.1 ha) |
| Built | 1888 |
| Built by | Concord Gas Light Company |
| Architect | Deily & Fowler |
| NRHP reference No. | 100001962 |
| Added to NRHP | January 12, 2018 |
The Concord Gas Light Company Gasholder House is a very old building in Concord, New Hampshire. It was built in 1888. This special building was used to store gas for lighting and heating homes. It is unique because its inside gas storage part is still mostly complete. In 2018, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is an important historical site. Today, a company called Liberty Utilities owns it. What will happen to the building in the future is not yet known.
Contents
What is the Gasholder House Like?
The Concord Gas Light Company Gasholder House is located south of downtown Concord. It is a round building made of brick. The building is about 86 feet (26 m) wide. It has a roof shaped like a funnel. In the middle of the roof is a small dome called a cupola. The whole building stands about 80 feet (24 m) tall.
The brick wall is divided into sixteen sections. Each section has simple brick columns. Most sections have a tall, narrow window with a rounded top. There are two special parts that stick out from the building. One faces south and has a sloped roof. This part used to control the gas coming into the storage area. The other part faces west and has a pointed roof. It connected the gas to the city's pipes.
Inside the Gasholder House
Inside the brick building, there is a large concrete tank. This tank could hold about 125,000 cubic feet (3,500 m3) of gas. The floor of the tank is 12 inches (30 cm) thick. Its walls are thick at the bottom, about 34 inches (86 cm). They get a little thinner at the top, about 30 inches (76 cm). Strong metal bands help to make the tank even stronger.
A large metal "lid" sits on top of the tank. This lid is called the gasholder. It is about 80 feet (24 m) wide. It is made of metal plates joined together. The gasholder could move up and down. It was guided by rails inside the concrete tank. This allowed it to hold different amounts of gas.
History of the Gas Company
The Concord Gas Light Company started in 1852. They built a factory on South Main Street. This factory made gas from coal to light homes and streets. As more people used gas, the company built smaller gasholders. These were near their factories and in other service areas.
By the 1880s, the company had four gasholders. They could hold a total of 80,000 cubic feet (2,300 m3) of gas. This was not enough for everyone's needs. So, in 1888, they built the large gasholder house we see today. This new building was a long-term solution to their gas storage problem.
In 1921, the company built another gasholder. This one was made of steel and could hold even more gas. However, it was taken down in 1989. The company stopped using gasholders in 1952. This happened when Concord got connected to natural gas pipelines. Natural gas is delivered directly through pipes, so large storage buildings were no longer needed.
Experts have studied this building. They believe it is the only gasholder building of its kind in the United States. Its inside tank is still mostly complete.
What is Happening to the Building Now?
The future of the Gasholder House is not clear. Since 2012, Liberty Utilities has owned the building. They bought it when they purchased land from another company. In 2016, a part of the roof over the entrance fell down.
In late 2020, Liberty Utilities said the building was in bad shape. They called it a safety risk. They also said that because the building is not used for their customers, they could not spend a lot of money to fix it.
In January 2021, someone who wished to remain unknown gave $500,000. This money was to help save the building from being torn down. This donation made more people interested in saving the building. The Concord city council then voted to talk with Liberty Utilities. They want to discuss how to save the building. They also want to plan for the area around it to become a community space.
