The Town of Guilford and the the Friends Of Algiers Village, Inc. (FOAVI), owners of the Historic 1817 Broad Brook House which contains the Guilford Country Store,  were notified on August 12, 2011 that the building had been placed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 4, 2011. The notification came from Diane McInerney, Executive Grants Program Coordinator of the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation.

This recognition, according to McInerney,  denotes the national recognition of the historic and architectural significance of the property. Lyssa Papazian of Putney, a historic preservation consultant to the FOAVI, prepared the application to the National Park Service. This designation gives recognition to the property and will serve to guide to  the FOAVI in preserving the historic appearance of the building and significant aspects of its interior. This has already been demonstrated in the plans for restoration of the store area which will include preserving the Rumford fire place, the beaded boards in the store’s ceiling, and the chair rails on the walls. Not part of the store reconstruction plans at this time but also of historic interest is the second floor ballroom (now an efficiency apartment) with its “sprung” floor for dancing.

This National Register designation will potentially make the Broad Brook House’s rehabilitation work  eligible for various grants, as well as serving to insure the building will always fit in well with other historic buildings in the village. The yellow Tontine House, across the Coolidge Highway from the store, was saved by the FOAVI some time ago through their  sale of it to the Windham Housing Trust. The WHT has now totally rehabbed it to contain seven affordable apartments in the village.  It, too, has been placed on the National Register. Down the road on the edge of the village, Christ Church is similarly on the Register. Eric Morse, President of the FOAVI, has pointed out that having three Historic Register buildings contributes significantly to the FOAVI’s mission to build new life into the area.