Gale School settles into new home

BELMONT – There was an almost festive atmosphere as several hundred Belmont friends and neighbors looked on as the Gale School building arrived at its new location Wednesday after 126 years of existence behind the Belmont Middle School.

On Tuesday, the 200-ton, stick-built Victorian structure was moved 1,200 feet down some very challenging terrain – including a 17% grade – with the expert guidance of the staff of Geddes Building Movers of Bow, stopping on the edge of Concord Street.

The right of way for the move was granted by neighbors Amy and Joseph Harbut. “We agreed to it to help save a piece of Belmont history,” Amy said.

The next morning, in less than ½ hour’s time, the staff of Geddes, in conjunction with Eversource Electric, the Belmont Police Department, and others, moved the historic edifice across the street to its new home on donated land. Applause and huzzahs were shared by the onlookers.

According to mover Rick Geddes, the effort went well. “We were prepared for the project. I have known of it for five years,” he said. “I’m retiring in 5 months, this is a good way to go out.”

After close to 100 years of education use, the Gale School had lived out its usefulness and fallen into disrepair. But starting several years ago, members of the community began an effort to rescue and resuscitate it, creating Save Our Gale School. A suitable location was needed and, after much searching, one was found.

Bob Lord is a longtime property owner on Concord Street who stepped up when it became apparent that a new location for the Gale School was needed. “I went to 4th to 6th grades at the Gale,” Lord said. “I grew up on an acre of land and it made so much sense that, after deliberation, I donated the land to SOGS.”

Diane Marden, the head of SOGS, expressed the committee’s thanks, referring to the “education of many generations of Belmont students.”

“A lot of people put in a lot of effort to save this important part of Belmont,” Lord added.

Belmont resident Richard Braley used to walk by the school every day and watched as it became run down. “I never thought this would happen”, Braley said, while his 12-year-old daughter Madisyn watched the move. “This is cool,” she said.

Alice Hurst of Gilford said her father, Ellis Blaisdell, studied at Gale in 1910, and she showed a picture of him with his graduating class, noting that she also attended there from 1942-48. “It is so nice to know that it has been saved and will be restored.”

Belmont resident Woody Fogg has been active in the efforts to keep the Gale alive and appreciates how it was done. “Typical New Hampshire – people working together,” he said.

Jennifer Goodman, executive director of New Hampshire Preservation Alliance, had a particular interest in preserving the building. “We named this as one of our organization’s Seven to Save,” she said. “The SOGS people showed great tenacity in getting it done.”

With the new location comes a rebirth of The Gale School’s existence. The Lakes Region Community Land Trust has entered into an agreement with SOGS to take the building to restore and reuse it to provide services – a day care and senior center have been discussed – under the guidance of Lakes Region Community Developers, which purchased the structure for $1.