Loudon Town Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Loudon Town Hall
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | 433 Clough Hill Rd., Loudon, New Hampshire |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1779 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 90001351 |
| Added to NRHP | September 05, 1990 |
The Loudon Town Hall is a really old and important building located at 433 Clough Hill Road in Loudon, New Hampshire. It's a special type of building called a meetinghouse, which means it was used for both church services and town meetings.
This historic building was first built in 1779. Later, in 1847, it got a big makeover in the Greek Revival style. For many years, people used it for both religious gatherings and important town business. Today, it mainly serves as a church for a Free Will Baptist group.
The Loudon Town Hall was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. This means it's recognized as a very important historical site. It's also one of the oldest public buildings in Merrimack County.
What the Loudon Town Hall Looks Like
The old Loudon Town Hall is in a quiet, countryside area. You can find it where Clough Hill Road and Youngs Hill Road meet. It's a two-and-a-half-story building made of wood. It has a pointed roof and its outside walls are covered with clapboards.
The corners of the building have wide, flat columns called pilasters. These pilasters also divide the front of the building into three sections. The front roof has a triangular part called a gable, which is completely filled in. Above this, there's a two-part tower.
The first part of the tower is a plain square with a railing on top. The second part is a bit smaller and holds the bell. It has openings with slats and more pilasters on its corners. This part also has a railing, and a tall, thin steeple sits on top of the whole structure.
History of the Loudon Town Hall
The town of Loudon was officially created in 1773. Before that, it was part of Canterbury. The people of Loudon found it hard to go to church or attend town meetings in Canterbury. So, they decided to form their own town.
By September 1779, the new town had chosen a spot for their meetinghouse. They also set aside money to build it. The main structure of this building was finished enough to hold a town meeting that same year. However, the building wasn't fully completed until 1794.
In 1847, the town made a deal with the local Free Will Baptist church. The church helped pay for changes and updates to the building. In return, the church was allowed to use the upper hall. This is when the building got its Greek Revival look. The inside of the building was also set up mostly as it is today.
Town offices moved out of the building in the 1970s. First, they went to a nearby public works building, which is no longer there. The current town hall for Loudon is now at 29 South Village Road in the center of Loudon village.
Today, the old Loudon Town Hall is used only by the Freewill Baptist Church. It has not changed much since about 1922.
See Also
