Thoughts on my pal, the Gasholder

Formally, it's called the Concord Gas Light Company Gasholder House which is a mouthful - the name almost takes longer to say than it would to recite its history. Informally, most of us just call it "the Gasholder."

If you live in Concord you've definitely seen it - the little round building near Vinnie's Pizzeria with the cupola on top that sits just a bit crooked... I like to think it's just a jaunty little cap the building felt like wearing that day. I even used to use a cool photo of the ceiling as a desktop background for a while. It's just... cool.

Formally, it's called the Concord Gas Light Company Gasholder House which is a mouthful - the name almost takes longer to say than it would to recite its history. Informally, most of us just call it "the Gasholder."

It was built in 1888 by the Concord Gas Light Company as it expanded to hold coal gas closer to the locations it would later be needed in. Our Gasholder is the only one of its kind in the country with the original tank. 

Some 130 years later, in 2018, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. But recently, the owners of the building (Liberty Utilities) have discussed tearing it down. They haven't maintained it since gaining ownership and the property remains unchanged and unusable. It's a shame for such an iconic building.

The Gasholder is just one of those townie things. No, we've never gone in. Very few have! No, it doesn't actually function (it was decommissioned in 1952 when the City switched to natural gas). Can it be used for something else someday? Not sure - other similar structures are now being used for everything from commercial/office space to hotels. But does that mean it should be torn down? Not in my opinion. So few examples of this type of architecture remain. There are only 13 similar structures remaining in the United States.

 Take a look at the photos and see for yourself what a unique building this is! 

 And if you're suddenly feeling strongly about preserving this building, you can connect with the other folx who are committed to trying to save it by going to www.saveourgasholder.org

Elyssa Alfieri is a freelance stylist, social media maven, vintage lover, and all-around Concord super fan. You can usually find her at her consignment shop, Lilise Designer Resale (or LDR), downtown.

It was built in 1888 by the Concord Gas Light Company as it expanded to hold coal gas closer to the locations it would later be needed in. Our Gasholder is the only one of its kind in the country with the original tank.