40 Years Forward:
Sherborn 1858 Town House Preservation Campaign
THIS BUILDING HAS STOOD AT THE HEART OF SHERBORN FOR 167 YEARS. NOW IT’S OUR TURN TO PROTECT IT.
The Sherborn 1858 Town House has stood at the heart of Sherborn for more than 167 years. Today, forty years after the last major restoration effort saved it from demolition, this historic landmark once again requires significant investment to ensure its strength, safety, and vitality.
40 Years Forward: The Sherborn 1858 Town House Preservation Campaign seeks to raise $500,000 to fund essential capital improvements that will protect the Town House’s structure, modernize aging systems, and ensure that this historic landmark continues to serve as a vibrant center for civic, cultural, and community life for generations to come.
The Town House was built in 1858 through a $5,000 bequest from Sherborn native Thomas Dowse, a leather merchant and avid book collector who envisioned a gathering place for civic life and learning. Designed by noted architect Elbridge Boyden—also the designer of Worcester’s Mechanics Hall—the Italianate building, with its gabled roof and cupola topped by a gilded weathervane, quickly became the center of our town life.
For its first century, it housed the high school, library, town offices, police department, and post office, while the Great Hall hosted Town Meetings, dances, lectures, and theater productions—traditions that continue today. By the 1980s, after years of disrepair, community members formed the Sherborn Community Center Foundation, Inc. and led a grassroots restoration, reopening the building in 1992 and securing its place as Sherborn’s oldest public landmark.
Goal:
$500,000
This campaign is not simply about repairs—it is about stewardship, legacy, and shared responsibility. The Sherborn 1858 Town House belongs to all of us.
Campaign Includes:
HVAC System Replacement
Basement & Structural Improvements
Roof Replacement
Service Prep Area Renovation
Exterior & Interior Painting
The Sherborn 1858 Town House operates entirely on private funding—no municipal dollars sustain its programs or maintenance. Every event, program, and public gathering depends on the generosity of donors. Many community programs are offered at little or no cost, ensuring that the Town House remains accessible to all residents, as Thomas Dowse intended.
Just as residents stepped forward 40 years ago to save this building, we must now come together again to carry it forward. Your support ensures that the Town House continues to welcome students, civic groups, cultural organizations, and neighbors for many years to come.
Please join us in moving 40 Years Forward.
Make your gift today and help preserve this historic landmark for the next generation.
Investing in Our Town House, Investing in Our Future
Forty years after the last comprehensive restoration, time and New England weather have taken their toll. Core building systems installed during the 1980s restoration are now aging beyond their expected lifespan. Deferred investment today will only result in higher costs tomorrow—and potential disruption to the programs and gatherings that define the Town House as the heart of our community. To protect the building and ensure it remains safe, functional, and welcoming for all who pass through its doors, these improvements are not cosmetic. They are essential stewardship investments. They will extend the life of the structure, reduce ongoing maintenance costs, enhance sustainability, and ensure that the Sherborn 1858 Town House remains a safe and vibrant gathering place.
Preservation is not a one-time act; it is an ongoing responsibility. This campaign represents the next chapter in caring for a building that has cared for this community for more than 167 years.
40 Years Forward: Our Action Plan
Basement Improvement to address moisture control, infrastructure stability, and long-term preservation needs.
Roof Replacement to prevent water intrusion and protect historic materials from structural damage.
HVAC System to improve reliability, comfort, and energy efficiency year-round.
Painting to preserve internal and external historic finishes and shield the building from weather-related deterioration.
Service Prep Area to better support community events, rentals, and public gatherings.
Valentine’s Day Dance, 1950
Sherborn Town House, 1858
PRESERVE • RESTORE • PROTECT
Preserving Our Past. Protecting Our Future.
For more than 167 years, the Sherborn 1858 Town House has stood at the heart of our community.
Forty years ago, a restoration effort saved it from demolition. Today, it once again requires meaningful investment to ensure its strength, safety, and vitality for generations to come.
Preservation is not a one-time act — it is an ongoing responsibility.
The Sherborn 1858 Town House Preservation Campaign seeks to raise $500,000 to fund essential capital improvements that will protect this historic landmark for the next forty years and beyond.
The Town House belongs to all of us — and its future depends on all of us.
Why Now?
Historic preservation cannot be deferred indefinitely. Essential infrastructure improvements must be addressed to maintain the safety, stability, and long-term viability of the Town House.
Investing now ensures we avoid more costly repairs later — and protects the building for the next generation.
Why give?
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Preserve a Historic Landmark
Your gift protects the structural integrity and long-term preservation of the 1858 Town House — a building that has stood at the heart of Sherborn for more than 165 years.
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Sustain a Community Gathering Place
From weddings and fundraisers to school programs and nonprofit events, your support keeps this space open, welcoming, and available to all.
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Protect a Privately Funded Treasure
The 1858 Town House receives no ongoing municipal funding. It is sustained by community generosity — neighbors supporting neighbors.
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Invest in 40 Years Forward
Your contribution strengthens the foundation today so future generations can continue to gather, celebrate, and build memories here.
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Strengthen Local Nonprofits
Many organizations rely on the Town House for their events and fundraising efforts. Supporting the building supports the broader Sherborn community.
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Leave a Legacy
Be part of the group that ensured this historic landmark remained standing, thriving, and central to Sherborn life.
The Sherborn 1858 Town House is one of the town’s most cherished historic landmarks, serving as a community center and event venue for residents throughout Sherborn, Massachusetts. This capital campaign ensures the continued preservation of this iconic building and supports its role in local gatherings, nonprofit events, and historic celebrations.
THE TOWN HOUSE BELONGS TO ALL OF US. ITS FUTURE DEPENDS ON ALL OF US.
Make a Donation
When you give to the 1858 Town House, you’re preserving more than a building — you’re protecting a place where our community gathers, celebrates, and grows together.
Your gift helps ensure this historic landmark remains a vibrant home for weddings, fundraisers, nonprofit programs, and generations of Sherborn families to come.
Sherborn Community Center Foundation, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
All donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. No goods or services were provided in exchange for this contribution.
Tax ID (EIN): EIN: 04-2895628
The Sherborn Community Center Foundation offers the use of the historic 1858 Town House, located in beautiful Sherborn, Massachusetts, to the surrounding community for celebrations, performances, meetings, and various other events. Non-profit and community groups are welcome at little to no cost.
