The New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources has announced that the State Historical Resources Council has added seven properties to the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places – including Kyes-Sage House in Peterborough and First Unitarian Congregational Church in Wilton.

Kyes-Sage House, built circa 1845, is an example of Carpenter Gothic architecture, a variant of the Gothic Revival style of architecture that was popular in homes between the 1840s and the 1870s, a time when machined millwork made decorative elements more affordable than hand-carved ones. Features include pendant drops along the roofline, Gothic arches with sunburst fans above the windows and cutouts on the porch columns.

Kyes-Sage House is a part of the Peterborough Town Library campus and has served as a bookshop run by the Friends of the Library since 2000. Dr. Karl Sumner Kyes, a dentist in Peterborough for over 60 years, lived in the house with his family from 1900 to 1963. The house was then sold to Catherine Sage, the first woman to serve on the Peterborough Select Board and a prominent attorney. 

The Peterborough Library Trustees recently worked with S & C Painting Inc. to restore the exterior of the home and match what was likely the original paint colors.

“We are thankful to continue to celebrate this little gem on Concord Street and thrilled it has been added to the State Register of Historic Places. We are particularly grateful to the Friends of the Library who continue to run the bookshop and create a delightful service and fundraiser for the library,” stated Chris Mann, library trustee.

Dedicated Jan. 10, 1861, the First Unitarian Congregational Church was the third Congregational meetinghouse in Wilton and the first to be built solely as a Congregational Church rather than as a meetinghouse for both church and town use. It combines elements of both Greek Revival and Gothic Revival architectural styles. A small addition was added in 1924 to provide space for the associated Sunday School.

Anyone wishing to nominate a property to the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places must research the history of the nominated property and document it on an individual inventory form from the New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources. Having a property listed in the register does not impose restrictions on property owners. For information, visit nhdhr.dncr.nh.gov.

New Hampshire's Division of Historical Resources, the state historic preservation office, was established in 1974 and is part of the NH Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. NHDHR’s mission is to preserve and celebrate New Hampshire’s historic resources through programs and services that provide education, stewardship and protection. For more information, visit nhdhr.dncr.nh.gov or by calling 603-271-3483.