Lake Winnipesaukee’s St. John’s-on-the-Lake

Celebrates LCHIP Grant Award

NH’s Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP) Awards 26 Grants to Communities and Non-Profit Organizations Across the State

NEW!…Laconia Daily Sun Article

Concord, NH: Governor Sununu joined the New Hampshire Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP) today in announcing $3.3 million in matching grants to support twenty-six land conservation and historic preservation projects across the state. The grants will support efforts to rehabilitate 14 historic buildings and permanently conserve more than 3314 acres of farm, timber, and ecologically significant land in all corners of the state.

St. John’s-on-the-Lake Association is a tax exempt 501(c)(3) organization which since 1955 has cared for this unique historic building on Lake Winnipesaukee’s Bear Island. Since its construction in 1927, St. John’s has served as a venue for Sunday worship services and been the site for countless weddings, baptisms and public gatherings. It has received a $79,823 grant award to restore the structure’s historic tower and install a perimeter drainage system.

“The Board of Directors of St. John’s-on-the Lake chapel are extremely grateful that LCHIP shares our vision of preserving this Winnipesaukee Island Icon for future generations” said Michael Taranto, Building Committee Chairman. “This investment is critically important to the preservation of St. John-s-on-the-Lake which will celebrate its Centennial year in 2027.” Taranto added.

The LCHIP grant will help fund replacement of the cedar siding that encloses the tower and make necessary improvements to the tower that can allow public access to the tower’s observation platform. In addition, the grant will help add a perimeter drainage system recommended in the Historic Building Report prepared by North Country Architect.

LCHIP grant recipients must match each dollar contributed by LCHIP with at least one added dollar and complete the funded projects according to the program’s rigorous standards. This year’s $3.3 million awards will be matched by more than $9 million from other public and private sources, infusing $12.3 million into the state’s economy through direct project activity.

About New Hampshire’s Land and Community Heritage Investment Program

The New Hampshire Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP) is an independent state authority providing matching grants to New Hampshire’s municipalities and non-profits, helping to preserve the state’s most important natural, cultural, and historic resources and ensure their contribution to the economy, environment, and quality of life in New Hampshire. LCHIP grants are funded by a $25 fee assessed when deeds, mortgages, and plans are recorded at the state’s ten registries of deeds.

Since 2001, LCHIP has awarded 615 grants, totaling over $65 million. As of July 2024, the program’s investment has helped to conserve 246,000 acres of land and rehabilitate 184 historic structures across 204 NH communities. Learn more about how LCHIP is helping to preserve and protect New Hampshire’s heritage at LCHIP.org, by following LCHIP_NH on Instagram, or Facebook