SWANZEY PRESERVATION SOCIETY
THE STAIRHALL
AND ANTECHAMBER
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At the northern end of this floor is the upper stairhall, simply finished with plastered walls (covered in their lower portion by mineral board) and ceiling and lighted by windows in the north and east walls of the building. The northwest corner of the building is occupied by a plastered antechamber, lighted by a window in the north wall of the building and a second in the west wall. Doors lead from the stairhall and antechamber to the lodge room that occupies the remainder of this story.
THE LODGE ROOM
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The lodge room is a single chamber measuring about forty feet in length by thirty-two in width. The roof trusses above the room permit the ceiling to have an uninterrupted span. The room is lighted by three windows on both its east and west walls. The lodge room is finished with southern yellow pine woodwork except for the floors, which are maple. The room has a wainscot of mineral board above a yellow pine chair rail. The ceiling of the room is covered with gypsum or composition board with wood-battened joints. The room retains the furniture and appointments typical of a Grange hall.
![IMG_4068[1].JPG](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/5b557b_fd0dc44ab5474c3b9a5409b2a1bf43b7~mv2_d_13357_3761_s_3_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_923,h_260,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/IMG_4068%5B1%5D_JPG.jpg)
THE STAGE
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At its southern end is a raised stage with wings reached by two short stairways that lead to doors on both sides of the stage. The wings of the stage are each lighted by a single window on the east and west. Three additional windows on the building's south wall also once illuminated the stage; however, those windows are now boarded up. The stage is twelve feet deep, the same depth as the kitchen on the first story, and the elevation of the stage permits the kitchen to have a higher ceiling than other rooms on the first floor.
![IMG_4070[1].JPG](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/5b557b_1a740751d11d43f3ac59606aeef3151e~mv2_d_16382_3628_s_3.jpg/v1/fill/w_972,h_215,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/IMG_4070%5B1%5D_JPG.jpg)
THE CURTAIN
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The curtain of the stage features a hand-painted scene of Swanzey Lake. In just the right light, it is possible to see the business advertisements on the original canvas beneath the later layers of paint. The ultimate upcycle!
![IMG_4071[1].JPG](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/5b557b_2983b39e62714ba8ad7668ffa865542b~mv2_d_3418_1431_s_2.jpg/v1/crop/x_948,y_63,w_2470,h_1368/fill/w_524,h_290,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/IMG_4071%5B1%5D_JPG.jpg)
ALL PHOTOS: Alexander Minickiello
SECOND FLOOR
The second floor of the building is finished with detailing comparable to that seen in the first story.
