Video: Cool, Funky, Full-of-History Concord, NH Gasholder

It’s cool, funky, and full of history. But what makes the Concord, NH Gasholder so inspiring and relevant today? Watch the video to find out.

From industrial history to the all-important cool factor, the Gasholder is inspiring - and relevant today.  

We’re excited to present a new video that celebrates the history and relevance of the Concord, NH Gasholder. This is the fourth in a video series documenting the multi-year project to save this historic resource, address environmental issues, and position a dormant site for new activity and redevelopment.

With demolition and collapse avoided and emergency stabilization complete, project advocates are working on short- and long-term plans for the site. We welcome your input and ideas. Email us at projects@nhpreservation.org or call the N.H. Preservation Alliance at 603-224-2281. 

The video reminds us how the Gasholder fits into the international history of the gas industry, as well as its unique significance to the city of Concord, through on-site interviews with Liberty-New Hampshire president Neil Proudman and preservation consultant Elizabeth Durfee Hengen.

The Gasholder is cool – and an effective cap on environmental contamination

Proudman, who is from the U.K., began working in the gas industry at a young age. He recounts the history of manufactured gas beginning in 1792, when Scottish inventor William Murdoch used gas to light his cottage in Redruth, Cornwall.

“The history of the gas industry really is the history of the industrial revolution,” says Proudman. The Concord Gasholder, “back in 1888, was locally produced, locally stored, and locally distributed energy. [It] is a good reminder of what a modicum of energy independence will look like for New Hampshire, and I think that’s a great thing. I’m very excited about this project.”

Liberty owns the Gasholder and the two-acre property that surrounds it. The company has partnered with the N.H. Preservation Alliance and the City of Concord to avoid the building’s demolition and collapse. The partners are working together toward future restoration and incremental adaptive redevelopment of the site. Learn more in this updated Save Our Gasholder FAQ.

A welcoming beacon full of history and relevance to Concord

Hengen, who has consulted on many historic preservation projects across the region, speaks to what makes the Gasholder so relevant. New Hampshire’s state capital “could never have grown without this building,” she says, “and its ability to store the manufactured gas that was critical to powering - literally powering - all elements of our downtown and our industry.”

She goes on to get to the heart of why the Gasholder matters to so many people. “It’s also just a really cool building to look at. It’s round, it’s tall, it’s got this sort of funky cupola on top, and you can’t miss it. It is ours. It is Concord’s. It welcomes you as you come into the city.”

The video features historical images of gas manufacturing equipment, other Concord Gas Light Company facilities, and gas lighting in other cities. The series is produced by John Gfroerer for the Preservation Alliance and the Concord Historical Society.

News spreads about why the Gasholder matters – in history and today

The successful emergency stabilization of the Gasholder is receiving national attention in the Society for Industrial Archeology’s latest publication. The SIA encourages the study, interpretation, and preservation of historically significant industrial sites, structures, artifacts, and technology across the country.

The Gasholder, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is considered the last of its kind in the U.S. with inner workings intact. Neighbors, civic and business leaders, and preservationists from across the state and country have recognized its importance as a catalyst for revitalization of Concord’s southern corridor.   

The New Hampshire Preservation Alliance listed the Gasholder on its Seven to Save list in 2020 because of its national significance and redevelopment potential after Liberty announced plans to seek a demolition permit due to the imminent risk of collapse. The Preservation Alliance has hosted public forums, helped support redevelopment analysis and nominated the building for historic preservation grants.  

Let us know if you like the new video! We welcome your thoughts and questions by email (note Gasholder in the subject line) or phone at 603-224-2281.

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