Harrisville Village Community Center
Our Mission
The Village Community Center is a place where all generations can gather, share experiences, exchange ideas, and support each other. Our programs aim to strengthen the connection between neighbors, elevate the cultural resources of the Monadnock Region, and encourage respectful, inclusive civic engagement.
History
In the late 1890s, Cheshire Mills contributed the land for this single-storied church that was built to meet the spiritual needs of the immigrant Irish and French Canadian mill workers. Although originally designed in Gothic and Stick Style, the exterior has changed remarkably in subsequent renovations. Pointed arch stained glass windows bear the names of the parish families that donated them. Religious services ended in 2010 and ownership of the building was transferred from the Diocese of Manchester to Historic Harrisville, Inc. to become the St. Denis Hall.
Renovation
Beginning in 2024, Historic Harrisville embarked on a full renovation of the building with support from the community and a grant from the NH Community Development Finance Authority. All of the stained glass windows were removed and refurbished in Portsmouth, NH, while the interior was completely re-wired, insulated, and painted with a new heating and cooling system and state of the art AV equipment.
To make the building ADA accessible, we lowered the rear entrance of the building and built a deck outside that also provides access to bathrooms in the adjacent building. The exterior of the building was completely re-painted, and extensive site-work was performed to improve drainage and parking. The renovation took about two years to complete, and was supported by more than 200 donors from the town and region.
Renovation Photos by Kate Brindley
