History of The Livery

Welcome to The Livery in Sunapee Harbor!

This massive four-story structure known as The Livery was built as a horse stable to serve the needs of the adjacent Harbor House Hotel. In those days, access to Sunapee was primarily by train and steamboat. Visitors, once they arrived, had need for horses and carriages for hire.

The Livery is the last surviving large commercial structure remaining from Sunapee’s steamboat era — its existence a reminder of the grand and legendary time when an astonishing number of visitors sought out Sunapee as a premier tourist destination.

Today, The Livery has a new purpose, thanks to the Sunapee Heritage Alliance, a nonprofit 501(c)3 charitable organization focused on Sunapee’s cultural and architectural heritage. Performances, art shows, rental spaces for parties and meetings, classes and community events are demonstrating the versatility and viability of this wonderful old building as a gathering place for townspeople and visitors alike.

“The Old Town Hall, as the Livery was known in the 40s and 50s , is often described as one of the most photographed and artistically painted in the region,” says Ron Garceau, past president of the Sunapee Historical Society. “Its unique history, horse ramp, clock tower and riverside location serve as one of the few remaining links to Sunapee’s heritage.”

History: Horses to Offices

The livery stable business passed through a number of owners in the early 20th century, and the structure was enlarged and renovated during that time. But by 1920 automobiles were on the scene and Herbert Sawyer sold the property to the Town of Sunapee for its fire station in that year. In 1926 Moses Knowlton donated a cupola and clock tower for the building.

When a new fire station was built in 1952, various town operations moved into The Livery. Space was provided for the police station, municipal court, town clerk and tax collector, water and sewer office, and a meeting place for Boy Scouts and community groups.

In 1990 new town offices were built and The Livery began to fall into disrepair. By 2006 only the Sunapee Thrift Shop remained. There were many discussions about the fate of the building — some wanted it torn down, some wanted to save it — so the town appointed a group, The Harbor House Livery Committee, to investigate possible ways the building could be put to use.

The committee worked tirelessly for recognition. They secured a place for The Livery on the State Historical Register, and The New Hampshire Preservation Alliance put the building on their “Seven to Save” list in 2008.

“It is a beloved landmark, long regarded as a symbol of the community and adapted with imagination and determination to serve the community in ever-changing ways,” says James L. Garvin, state architectural historian at the New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources.”

Future: Landmark at the Heart of our Community

In 2015, the Sunapee Harbor Riverway Corporation bought the building from the town. The Harbor House Livery Committee formed a nonprofit organization to continue their work: Sunapee Heritage Alliance (SHA). SHA, which now owns the building, is guiding the plans to renovate and repurpose The Livery, turning a historic structure into a multi-use facility bringing together music, art and community while looking ahead to expanded uses and capacity.

The deed from the town requires that historic elements — like the well-preserved circular horse ramp used to move the horses from street level to the horse stalls below — be maintained. It also mandates that the final plan include access by the townspeople of Sunapee. The SHA Board has included the public in the planning process, so not only do residents share their hopes and dreams for the future of the building, they reap the results. “Live at the Livery” summer series brings neighbors and visitors together for a unique music experience. Summer art classes for kids and adults fill the ground floor with creativity and laughter. And momentous occasions such as graduations, baby showers and birthdays are celebrated in a remarkable space loved by all.

The future is bright for the Livery! It is fast becoming the landmark at the heart of the community. And you can help with its transformation. Attend a performance, rent the facilities for a party or meeting, volunteer at one of the community events, or donate!

Donations can be made on our website or sent to Sunapee Heritage Alliance, PO Box 72 Sunapee, NH 03782.

If these walls could talk, they would tell the story of Sunapee!