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Sandown Historical Society outlines museum restoration plan, seeks multi-year lease and matching grants
Summary
The newly elected president of the Sandown Historical Society told the Heritage Commission the society is cataloging museum holdings, prioritizing repairs for rotted soffits and pest problems, and pursuing matching grants (1772 Foundation, LCHIP) while requesting a multi-year lease from the town.
Tim Robinson, the recently elected president of the Sandown Historical Society, told the Sandown Heritage Commission on April 2 that the society has spent months cataloging and assigning ID numbers to museum items and plans to dedicate one room to town history.
Robinson said the museum building needs work: “Some of the soffits are rotting,” he said, and there has been “infestation of rodents.” He described short-term fixes (sealing windows, addressing exposed wiring, repainting walkways) and said the group is compiling detailed quotes to create shovel‑ready projects for grant applications.
Robinson said the society has drafted a letter of intent to the 1772 Foundation, which offers a $10,000 matching grant, but he paused applying until contractors and a clear scope were in place. “You need to have your contractors lined up…shovel ready to go,” he said, noting the society will resubmit in December after detailed planning. He also said the group plans to apply to LCHIP and other funders and will spend the coming months fundraising locally.
Commission members urged the society to seek an assessment from an experienced preservation specialist. Pamela Goodrow, who opened the meeting, recommended contacting Andrew from the Preservation Alliance to develop phased work that could be funded incrementally. Robinson said the society’s lease on the museum has expired and he will ask the Board of Selectmen for a multi‑year lease—he said he will request five years but will accept three if necessary, because many funders favor a longer term.
The society also plans a grand reopening in May to recruit members and volunteers and to participate in New Hampshire’s 250th‑anniversary events this summer, including a statewide scavenger hunt and interpretive placards about Sandown’s Revolutionary-era history. Robinson said the group had identified two people from Sandown who served in the militia and plans to feature their stories.
The Heritage Commission offered technical help (advertising, outreach) and volunteered to assist with grant applications and contractor coordination. No formal action or funding was taken at the meeting; Robinson said the society will return with more detailed quotes and a grant schedule.
