Olde Centre Cemetery Hearse House

This building has a documented history and is part of the Royalston Historic District.  In addition, if restored such that it can be locked, it would serve as useful storage for the DPW and Cemetery Commission.

The building is fundamentally sound but does need immediate work particularly to the roof and the wall plates at the C/D corner.  This work should be referred to a contractor with experience in post and beam construction as well as the ability to accurately reproduce, where needed, the original materials.

The building was built in 1858 for the storage of the town’s horse drawn hearse.  It is located at the northwest corner of the Old Center Cemetery on Athol Road.  The building is about 14’ X 18’ and is of post and beam construction.  The current exterior is white painted clapboards, and given the number of cut nails it is possible that if this is not what the original exterior was, this style was added many years ago.

The doors were replaced by the Royalston DPW when the existing doors simply fell off the building into the road in 2008.  The upper strap hinges were used on the new doors, because the sill had enough rot or decay that it was not possible to drive the old lower strap hinges back in, modern hinges were used instead.

Given the detailed work that went into the original structure and the historic significance of the building any work should be referred to an experienced contractor.  The Building Committee has recommended this building be maintained for the time being and, ultimately, carefully restored.