Over four decades ago, a small group of neighbors became concerned about the poor condition of the historic Meeting House. A permanent Meeting House Restoration Committee was created and, in 1975, a preliminary plan of action was drafted. Through the years, tens of thousands of dollars have been contributed by charitable foundations, state historic organizations, and gifts from individuals and families like yours.

With the initial restoration done, a new permanent Meeting House Preservation Committee has been formed with the charge of advocacy for the preservation and maintenance of the Meeting House.

Restoration will be an on-going effort. The Meeting House is a priceless old building that will continue to need help above and beyond what the town will be able to provide. It is clear we must establish a long range reserve fund to preserve and protect the Meeting House. As the building ages, we must be prepared to assess and plan for future needs. The recent failing of the tower was a lesson learned.

We can't wait for an emergency to hit; we must be proactive. Just as Canaan responded to the needs of the Meeting House over the past thirty seven years, we hope you will respond in kind to the present opportunity for participation in this historic cause. Trish Brown's efforts raised $8,000 for the repair of the tower kick-starting our latest fund raising drive. Contributions over the last few years now total $20,000. Our fund needs to be large enough to weather future storms.

We are dedicated to preserving the Meeting House so that it will remain a living center of community expression and pride. And we need your help. Please make checks payable to the "Town of Canaan" with "Meeting House" on the memo line, and mail to PO Box 38, Canaan, NH 03741. Your contribution will be dedicated solely to the preservation of the Meeting House.

The Meeting House Preservation Committee

Click here. to view the video provided by Carol Bergeron of the tower being lifted off by a crane.

Special Find!

A set of historic theatre "curtains" (a grand drape and three backdrops) were found in the attic of the Meetinghouse. The curtains had water damage and had been cut from their top boards and off the old wooden rollers.

They were examined by Christine Hadsel and M. J. Davis of Curtains Without Borders, Inc., a VT-based nonprofit that surveys for and conserves historic painted theatre curtains. Afterward, they were rolled back onto the wooden rollers, wrapped for protection and stored at Canaan's Historical Museum.

The grand drape (this curtain would have hung just inside the proscenium arch) is signed on the front: L. J. Couch & Co., So. Boston, Mass. The back of the this curtain is marked "Canaan, NH" which indicates that the set was purchased for use here in Canaan, and most likely on the Lyceum Hall Association stage on the second floor of the Meetinghouse (beginning in about 1884).

Canaan's grand drape is a scene of Chateau Chillon, a romantic image that was popular because of Lord Byron's poem, "The Prisoner of Chillon." The backdrops include a country scene, a street scene and a fancy interior. Levi J. Couch hired skilled artists and these are beautifully painted using water-based pigments on muslin.

Canaan, like most of the towns in New England, had an active interest in theatre from the 1880s through to about 1940. Local productions, musical evenings, traveling shows, and graduation ceremonies were just some of the events that would have taken place on stage either at Lyceum Hall or at the halls in the village. Other than a later curtain that hangs hidden on the back wall of the Senior Center's second-floor stage, the set found at the Meetinghouse is Canaan's only remaining piece of historic stage equipment.

It's hard for us to imagine, now, the impact that such large paintings had on an audience when the curtains were new. They were admired then and today they are a link to Canaan's cultural history.

For more information about historic stage curtains, how they were made and the artists who painted them in New England (and beyond) and about the conservation work of Curtains Without Borders, Inc., see www.curtainswithoutborders.org. For details about this set of theatre curtains, contact Judith Kushner, 523-4337.

The Grand Drape: Tourists at Chateau Chillon. Of the 4 curtains, this one is in the best condition.

Detail from the Grand Drape.

Country backdrop, viewed at the Meetinghouse in 2008..

Country scene.

Parlor or fancy interior, badly damaged by water stains.

Street scene. In order to fill the wide stage, an addition was made to the large building and long wall on the right.

2016

 
Railing Details

In 2016 several improvements were made at the Meeting House to improve accessibility. Dimitri Gerakaris created handrails for the East and South Meeting House Doors. Gerakaris forged the railings consistent with the design and technical methods of the time period in which the meeting house was built, including forged mortise and tenon joints plus hand riveted boot scrapers and hand-forged hand rail stock.

At the rear door, a handicap ramp was installed. The labor was donated by Chris Keyser.