Pratt Hall, Montgomery
1772 Foundation Grant Recipient
When Scott Perry drives down Route 58 from Hazen’s Notch, he looks down the Trout River Valley and sees a white dot in Montgomery village. That dot is Pratt Hall. Formerly St. Batholomew’s Episcopal Church, the c. 1835 Pratt Hall was saved from demolition in 1974 by the Montgomery Historical Society.
Scott, Chairman of the Historical Society, says their preservation approach has been “use it or lose it.” As the historical society has chipped away at the building needs over the years, including reinstalling the clock and bell tower, addressing major structural work and improving accessibility, the community use of the building has grown. The Society has organized, or hosted concerts, theater, art shows, speakers, the farmer’s market, weddings, memorial services and more, often in collaboration with other community groups.
Along the way, Scott and his volunteer board members received encouragement and fundraising support by attending PTV Preservation Retreats at the Grand Isle Lake House. A 2020 grant through PTV’s partnership with the 1772 Foundation will support an essential step in the restoration: a professional and proper scraping and painting of the building. When finished, the view from Hazen’s Notch of this community landmark will be a bright white dot that will carry well in the future of Montgomery.
