PRESS RELEASE                                   

                                           Danville Heritage Commission

Contact:  Bill Gard         642-8990;   957-1074 (cell)

Danville is Twice Blessed

The Danville Heritage Commission was notified on January 12^th that they have been awarded a $5,900 matching grant from the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP).  This follows the announcement last month from the Mooseplate License Plate Program that they had awarded the Danville Heritage Commission a $10,000 grant. Both grants are to be used to continue the restoration of the Webster Stagecoach Stop and Store at the corner of Route 111A and Sandown Road. This back to back pair of welcome accomplishments makes the total restoration of this historic building a very real possibility.

This small building was offered to the town in 2005 by the heirs of the Melton & Marcia Sanborn Trust, provided the town would relocate it.  The Board of Selectmen approached the Heritage Commission and requested they put forth a plan to make this happen, as the town had no funds for such a project.  The Heritage commission did just that. They applied and were successful in having the building placed on the New Hampshire Register of Historic Places in 2006. With financial assistance from the New Hampshire Department of Transportation and donations of equipment and labor from local businesses and citizens, and a great deal of hard work, the building was moved across the highway in September of 2008 on to town owned land.  When restored it will be a museum.

Ironically, the Mooseplate grant is the second and the LCHIP grant is the third for Danville.  Again through the efforts of the Heritage Commission, Danville was awarded a $10,000 Mooseplate grant in 2006 to install heating and air conditioning and upgrade electrical wiring for the second floor of the Town Hall.  The first LCHIP grant for $2,500 was awarded in 2002 to do an architectural feasibility study for the second floor of the Town Hall to bring it back into community use.  The second LCHIP grant for $15,000 was awarded in 2008 to help relocate the stagecoach stop and to do architectural and archeological studies of the site.

The Mooseplate Program is funded by voluntary additional contributions for state license plates where the funds are awarded to worthy applicants for conservation and historic preservation projects.  The LCHIP program is funded through real estate transfer fees and again, the funds are awarded to worthy applicants for conservation and historic preservation projects. 

Nathaniel Webster, a distant cousin of Daniel Webster and owner and operator of the stagecoach stop and store, was appointed the first post master of Danville, (then Hawke), in 1825.  He received the mail by stagecoach that would stop at his homestead at the corner of Sandown Road to rest and water the horses.  He built this small building as well as a stable for the horses across the road from his home. He stocked the building with provisions common to a general store where passengers who were waiting could buy refreshments such as an apple or a wedge of cheese to eat on their journey.  There also was a blacksmith shop in the building where harnesses or coach rigging could be repaired.  The Webster family continued this operation and the general store throughout the middle of the 19^th century.  When stagecoaches were replaced by trains, the operation gradually came to a close.  The building sat dormant for many years with the highway gradually getting wider until its continued existence was in jeopardy. 

The restoration is being conducted by First Period Colonial. Inc. of Kingston, under the auspices of Robert L. Pothier, Jr.