Historic Preservation Commission

The Calais Historic Preservation Commission works to celebrate the town’s architectural history and to assist with the preservation and restoration of buildings of note. Working with other groups around town, the CHPC has worked to bring about the refurbishment of the Town Hall and the East Calais General Store, as well as producing documents that catalogue the architectural resources for each of the town’s five village centers: Kents’ Corner, North Calais, East Calais, Adamant, and Maple Corner, listing each house in these historic districts and providing background about the original builders and the property’s history. (These reports are available for download below.) Four of these five historic districts are now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Most recently, the Historic Preservation Commission has assembled a free, downloadable audio tour of the town out of the facts recorded in these historic district reports. Our work over the next year will be to create a similar tour for kids, which will align with the state’s mandate for local history curriculum in the third grade.

The CHPC is not in any way a regulatory body, and it is expense-neutral to the town. The money for the Commission’s work and for its grants to other organizations comes entirely from the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation, working hand in hand with the National Park Service. The Commission, with the support of the Calais Select Board, is part of the Vermont Certified Local Government program. Designation as a Vermont certified local government recognizes those municipalities that have a special commitment to preservation. The town receives special grant money as a result of participation in this program.

The Commission has spots for nine volunteer commissioners drawn from the community. Designation as a Vermont certified local government recognizes those municipalities that have a special commitment to preservation through public policy with an historic preservation ordinance. The ordinance establishes a local board to develop and oversee the functions of the local preservation program.