Milton Town House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Milton Town House
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | NH 125 and Town House Rd., Milton, New Hampshire |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1803 |
| Built by | Multiple |
| NRHP reference No. | 80000311 |
| Added to NRHP | November 26, 1980 |
The Milton Town House is a very old and important building in Milton, New Hampshire. It stands where Town House Road meets New Hampshire Route 125. Built in 1803, it was first used for both town meetings and church services. Since then, it has always been the place for Milton's town meetings. In 1855, it stopped being used as a church and was made smaller, becoming a single-story building. This historic building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. This means it's recognized as a special place worth protecting.
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What is the Milton Town House?
The Milton Town House is found in the eastern part of Milton. It sits right in the middle of where Town House Road and New Hampshire Route 125 meet. It is a one-story building made of wood. It has a pointed roof and its outside walls are covered with overlapping wooden boards called clapboards.
What does the building look like?
On the front side, which faces east, there are two doors. On each side of these doors, there are windows that are a bit higher up. There is also a window in the pointed part of the roof above the doors. All the windows have shutters that can be opened and closed. These shutters are usually closed when the building is not being used.
Around the north and west sides of the building, there is an iron fence. This fence was originally put there for people to tie up their horses when they visited. Inside, the walls are covered with a type of wood called knotty pine. The ceiling is made of pressed tin, which gives it a cool, old-fashioned look.
History of the Town House
The Milton Town House was built in 1803. This was just one year after the town of Milton officially became a town. It was designed to be a place for both town meetings and church services. This means it served both the community's government needs and its religious needs.
How did the building change over time?
In 1855, the town bought the building. This happened because the local church group had disagreements and decided to sell it. After the town bought it, they made some big changes. They removed the second story, making it a single-story building. They also took out the things inside that were used for church services.
However, in 1965, the pulpit was put back. A pulpit is a raised stand where a preacher speaks. It was not put in its original spot, but it serves as a reminder of the building's past as a church.
The Historic Animal Pound
The area around the Milton Town House is also special. The National Register listing for the Town House includes a rebuilt copy of the town's original animal pound. An animal pound was a place where stray animals were kept until their owners claimed them.
What is special about the animal pound?
This animal pound is unique because it's a round structure made of fieldstones. It stands across Route 125 from the Town House. The first pound was built in 1804. It was rebuilt in 1823. Later, in 1928, when the highway was made wider, the pound was moved and rebuilt again. This animal pound is one of only three stone pounds from the 1800s that are still standing in New Hampshire today.
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