History

The New Hampshire Veterans’ Association is listed on the National Register of Historic

New Hampshire Veterans’ Association Headquarters Building
Historical Time Line of the Association

1875

NHVA formed in Manchester, New Hampshire

1878

NHVA first encampment at The Weirs

1879

Boston/Concord/Montreal Railroad

Made land available to NHVA at the Weirs for 43 years. Railroad cleared trees, graded a few road ways and built a dancing pavilion (Southern end of the grove). Tents housed the members and were set up in camp streets parallel to Lakeside Ave. Larger tents were used to house the Headquarters and Kitchen facilities.

1880

Lowell building erected at the top of New Hampshire Ave

First floor was an open reception area, second floor was a dormitory with partitions. Original colors were straw with dark green and white trim and a green roof.

1881

The NHVA is incorporated by the State

An appropriation is made to erect 5 barracks ringing the top of the grove. A Simple headquarters building next to the Lowell building serves as the Association Headquarters.

1882

Seating areas are placed in the hillside grove area

A speakers stand and pavilion are also built. The Sanborn Memorial is created and plans for the headquarters building and Dining pavilion are begun.

1883

The 5th Regiment building is constructed next to the Lowell building

The 1st Floor consisted of a large reception area, with the 2nd floor partitioned into sleeping area. The original color was off-white with dark green trim and had a brown roof. Individual Regiment associations begin to make plans to construct their own buildings on plots allocated to them.

1885

Headquarters Building, 3rd Regiment & First Band

7th Regiment buildings are completed on Lakeside Ave. Other smaller barracks may have been built to house the veterans.

The Headquarters Building had a large meeting room with offices to sides and rear on the 1st floor, a large meeting room with smaller rooms to the rear, and the 3rd floor housed a dormitory and storage. The original colors were: deep buff for the 1st floor, the 2nd & 3rd floors were lighter shades of buff, the trim was in different shades of brown and the roof was brown. The porch floor was brown, with the ceiling a light blue, the pillars and brackets were chrome yellow and red, the cresting dark red with old gold.
The 7th Regiment had a large reception area on the first floor. The 2nd floor had several sleeping areas and a ladies reception room. The original colors were bright terra cotta with bronze trimmings on the first floor, dark yellow with green trim on the second floor, the gable ends were canary yellow.
3rd Regiment & 1st Band had an open area on the first floor, which could be divided into two rooms and an open 2nd floor which also could be divided. 1/3 of the building was used by the Band, the rest by the 3rd Regiment. The original colors were dark yellow with dark green trim.

1886

The 2nd Regiment and Manchester House

(Grand Army of the Republic) are built to the right and rear of the Lowell Building. The huge Dining Pavilion occupies the area in front and to the right of these structures out to Tower Street.

1887

The 16th Regiment Building is constructed on Veterans Ave

southern end. Next to the 16th is a new pavilion and smaller storage building. On Lakeside Ave., at the southern end, the 1st Cavalry build there Headquarters.

The 16th Regiment building had a large reception area with three smaller rooms on the first floor. The second floor had 2 large sleeping areas and two smaller rooms in the front towers. The original colors were bright yellow with greening blue and red trim. The roof was dark slate.
The Cavalry building had an open reception area with a nest of three fireplaces on the first floor. The second and third floors were dormitories. The original colors were two shades of blue trimmed in yellow – cavalry uniform. The roof had a light and dark slate checkerboard pattern

1888

The 9th and 11th Regiments work together to construct their building on Lakeside Ave

between the Cavalry and 7th Regiments building. On Veterans Ave, opposite the 16th Regiment, the 15th Regiment finishes their building.

The 9th and 11th Regiment building had two large reception areas that were separated by folding doors with fireplace on each end of the first floor. The second floor was divided into two section, subdivided into three rooms. The third floor was a dormitory. The gables were painted straw with vermilion trim, the main body of the building was a darker straw. The roof was dark slate
The 15th Regiment building’s first floor was divided into two areas. The second floor was divided into three rooms. The building was painted light orange with bright red trim. The roof was light slate and the basement was brownstone.

1889

One of the temporary barracks next to the 5th Regiment

is converted to use by the 8th and 13th Regiments.

1891

land below the 15th Regiment the National Veterans Association

NH constructed the largest and most detailed building. This group was made up of NH veterans who were not in the individual regiments raised in NH. The building was sometimes referred to as the tramps building.

1893

Below the National Veterans Association building and above the Cavalry Headquarters

the 14th Regiment constructed their building. The road was now named Cavalry Avenue, and marked the southern boundary of the property. 1894 A beautiful civil War Soldier statue and water trough in honor of Laommi Bean of the 8th Regiment was erected at the base of New Hampshire Ave.

1906

Berdan’s Sharpshooters and the Heavy Artillery Companies constructed

the last of the large building. This building sat at the western boundary of the property in an area with the state barracks. This seems to be the last of the large buildings constructed.

This construction period is sometimes referred to as the High Victorian period. Most of the buildings were very colorful with ornate details. Sometimes called the Queen Anne Camp Style, using a “balloon” construction style with sweeping roof lines and wrap around porches, they were and are beautiful to behold. Many of the buildings boasted running water and sewer, long before other “camps” in the area. Most featured large open areas on the first floors with fireplaces and water closets. The second and third floors would consist of dormitory style sleep areas which could, in some cases, be broken up into smaller more private areas with partitions.

1924

A large fire struck The Weirs, destroying the Weirs Hotel,

3rd Regiment Building, and damaging a few of the other barracks.

1931

A lightning strike destroyed the Civil War

Soldier statue and water trough honoring Laommi Bean of the 8th Regiment.

1938

When the devastating Hurricane of ’38 roared through NH

over 200 large trees were brought down, destroying the 8th & 13th Regiment Building, National Veterans Association Building, Speakers Stand, Convention Pavilion, and a few smaller structures. The 14th Regiment Building, Cavalry Building, Dining Pavilion, and other buildings suffered some damage from the storm. The State made another appropriation to help the Association clean up and repair after the storm.

1950’s & 60’s

Records seem to indicate the Dining Pavilion

Speaker’s Stand, Dance Pavilion, and other buildings were removed for public safety reasons. The front buildings were repainted during this time using surplus military paint, hence the various shades of gray, blue gray and off-white.

1970’s & 80’s

Records seem to indicate fires destroyed

Three of the old state barracks and separate fires damaged a few other buildings.

1990’s

Separate and suspicious fires destroyed

The 16th Regiment Building and the Berdan’s Sharpshooters Building. The 2nd Regiment Building was taken down for public safety reasons.

The 1990’s

Also harkened the newest efforts to save this distinct piece of NH’s cultural history

Structural repairs – foundations, roofs, windows, upgraded electrical wiring, plumbing, grounds work. Cosmetic improvements of painting and landscaping, are ongoing/ What has been accomplished may not show outwardly, but lays in the foundation of a long term plan to maintain the NHVA’s holdings for future generations of veterans and the citizens of New Hampshire.