CONTACT:
Allison Keating: (603) 271-1743
Jay Martin: (603) 271-3211
October 15, 2018
CONCORD, NH – The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department is seeking public input on the future of an historic cabin located in Stratham, NH. In 2013, the Department purchased a 0.63 acre parcel of land located off of Linda Lane and bordering the Squamscott River with the intent of removing the existing cabin and restoring the land to its natural salt marsh habitat. Upon review, it was determined that the cabin is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966.
The cabin is a rustic seasonal camp that was likely used for boating, hunting, and fishing. It is 1 ½ stories with one open room on the first floor, a loft, and a front porch that extends the length of the cabin. This seasonal camp was built circa 1931 and sits on wooden posts, has wood shingle siding that was added circa 2007, and an asphalt shingle roof. There is no heating, no electricity and no plumbing. There is one small shed and an outhouse on the property as well.
After acquiring the property in 2013, the NH Fish and Game Department hired an historian to perform a review of the property. From the report provided, it was found that from about 1862-1930 the parcel was part of an 85-acre farm that was ultimately subdivided and sold. In 1931, this parcel was purchased by Albert Parker of Portsmouth, a railroad locomotive engineer for the Boston and Maine Railroad and the presumed builder of the cabin. The Parker family owned the cabin for 20 years. The camp traded ownership many times over the following decades. The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department received a federal grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to acquire the property and it is now part of the Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.
Fish and Game has worked with the NH Division of Historical Resources, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Stratham Heritage Commission to develop a list of possible alternatives for preserving the historical significance of the cabin. The proposed plan includes three objectives: hire an architectural historian to photo-document the cabin and property, remove pieces of the cabin and create interpretive panels for display at the Great Bay Discovery Center located in Stratham, and then remove the cabin and restore the land to its original salt marsh habitat.
At this time, the NH Fish and Game Department is accepting public comment on the proposals for preserving the historical significance of this unique property. Anyone who may be interested can contact Allison Keating for further information. She can be reached at 603-271-1743 or Allison.Keating@wildlife.nh.gov. The deadline to provide public comments is October 26, 2018.
