BY RYAN O’CONNOR

After nearly three years, members of the Dunbarton Hearse Restoration Committee are seeing their hard work come to fruition.

After the recent completion of the rebuilt and refurbished hearse, which was lost in a  fire 50 years ago, the town has constructed a building at Page’s Cemetery to house the historic artifact.

When the hearse’s original storage building burned to the ground in 1958, the hearse was pulled from the fire and doused with water, but the driver’s leather seat and canvas roof were destroyed, the glass was broken, all the interior fabrics were destroyed and the two front wheels were damaged beyond repair.

But in 2005, several residents vowed to restore the hearse to its former beauty.

“It feels wonderful because there was nothing negative about this project,” said Donna Dunn, a member of the restoration committee. “From the beginning, it was really a positive thing, and if I were to add up everyone involved in this, whether it was money, time, a skill or research, there were probably over 100 people.”

The hearse house was brought to the cemetery in two separate pieces and was constructed and put together by inmates from the state prison.

According to Dunn, the prison offers a trade program teaching inmates construction.

The committee, by purchasing the structure through the program, paid only for material plus 10 percent, said Dunn.

“It was a real bargain for us,” she said. “It was a good price and it was very fitting that their trainees helped with this volunteer project because, certainly, we don’t have a lot of money to spend.”

Still, Dunn said the prison program doesn’t openly advertise because it doesn’t want to compete with local carpenters.

Moreover, their production is limited, so Dunbarton was placed on a wait list before
the hearse house could be constructed.

The cemetery trustees, like hundreds of years ago when sextons were in charge of cemeteries, will be in charge of maintenance on the hearse and its home.

“We’re right back to where it was originally, except the hearse house was in Dunbarton Center Cemetery, but there was absolutely no time left there any more.”

The structure, said Dunn, meets all zoning requirements, and she noted the Page’s Cemetery’s facade will likely soon revolve around the hearse house.

“We put it out in the open, high and dry, away from any trees or anything that can fall on it,” she said. “Hopefully there is very little room for vandalism.”

In addition, Dunn said the house has a sliding door so anyone interested in viewing the hearse can do so at any time.

The cemetery trustees are currently drafting a letter of intent to use the hearse as a historical resource and Dunn said it will likely be used in parades, Old Home Day and other memorial events.

The hearse and hearse house will be officially dedicated on the morning of Saturday, Aug.11.

There, “Spike,” a bombproof horse – one that won’t startle to loud noises – will be available to guide the hearse. According to Dunn, all are welcome to attend and are encouraged to dress in traditional old-fashioned clothing.