New Gasholder Comic Book!
Front cover of the new Concord, NH Gasholder comic book published by N.H. Preservation Alliance
The N.H. Preservation Alliance has released a fun, new Gasholder comic book. The comic book is fun and informative for all ages and doubles as a coloring book.
The 8-page comic book uses architectural drawings from the Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) to tell the story of the Gasholder. In it you can see how the Gasholder works, learn why it’s worth saving, and help envision a future for the two-acre gasworks site in Concord, New Hampshire. You’ll also find out why the cupola on the roof is tilted!
Go to the Save Our Gasholder History page to learn more, print the comic book, or get a link to a digital flipbook version. Or email the N. H. Preservation Alliance for a free paper comic book at projects@nhpreservationalliance, with “Gasholder” in the subject line.
The architectural drawings in the Gasholder comic book are part of the Historic American Engineering Record (HAER), a long-range National Park Service program for documenting industrial sites in the U.S. The drawings were delineated by Brian C. Lombard, P.E., in 1982. You can view all the drawings and photos in the Concord, NH Gasholder collection on the Library of Congress website. Learn more and search through all the collections on the National Park Service HAER website.
People of all ages showed their enthusiasm and support for the Concord, NH Gasholder at Intown Concord's Market Days.
The Preservation Alliance partnered with the Concord, NH Historical Society on a history-themed Market Days booth in downtown Concord, NH. In addition to the new comic book, the booth featured a working model of the Concord Gasholder and photos of the 2022 emergency stabilization process. And a diverse, engaged group of people of all ages (and some of their pups) posed with the “I love our Gasholder” sign to show their exuberant support for repurposing the two-acre gasworks site.
Many thanks to our volunteer booth staffers for engaging the public in meaningful ways! In 30 hours over 3 days with a dozen volunteers, we distributed over 200 comic books, demonstrated the Gasholder model over 300 times, and shared the Gasholder story with roughly 500 people. And we supported our booth partner the Concord Historical Society in their book sale and educational efforts. If you’d like to volunteer at a future Gasholder event, email us at projects@nhpreservation.org and put “Gasholder” in the subject line.
Photo by Bill Graham | Witch City Images
Need a Save Our Gasholder yard sign?
Photographer Bill Graham of Witch City Images captured this stunning photo of a home in Concord with a Save Our Gasholder yard sign out front. If you have a place to display a sign, simply email us at projects@nhpreservation.org.
A view from Europe
Experts from across Europe gathered at the Industrial Gas Museum in Athens, Greece for an international conference on gasholder preservation and reuse. It is the museum’s 10th anniversary year. You can watch a video of the conference on the Technopolis YouTube channel (4hrs 20mins).
Speakers included Russell Thomas, Technical Director at WSP(UK), who wrote an article about the Concord, NH Gasholder for the March 2023 issue of International Gas magazine (Historic Gas Times, p. 26). Thomas and his colleagues in Athens have noted the uniqueness of Concord’s last-of-its-kind gasholder and expressed an interest in visiting New Hampshire to see it someday.
Konstantinos Bitzanis, Managing Director of Technopolis, notes, “We think that the preservation of industrial sites and their reintegration in the urban planning of cities seems to be gaining ground in recent years. The initiative starts often by citizen resident groups who feel connected with the history and the aesthetics of an industrial space and are mobilized to prevent its demolition and demand its preservation and reintegration with new uses in the design of the cities. The authorities respond in many cases, industrial buildings are declared ‘listed,’ and new uses are being sought which will allow them to play a new role in the socio-economic life of the city.”
The Industrial Gas Museum is fortunate to have retained the furnaces, machinery, steel gasholder, and other original buildings and elements of their gasworks. It’s interesting to view the detailed photos and videos on their website, since the Concord Gasholder site was full of similar industrial components until they were demolished, leaving only the brick Gasholder. The IGM also displays historical photographs of people working in the gas industry.
What’s the latest on the Concord, NH Gasholder?
The New Hampshire Preservation Alliance continues to lead an effort to help property owner Liberty, the City of Concord and others position the dormant Gasholder site for new activity as a catalyst for revitalizing the city’s southern gateway.
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. To stay up to date with the Gasholder’s progress and other news, follow the N.H. Preservation Alliance on Facebook or Instagram. We are making real progress with your support. Thank you!