What We Do
Rye Advocates is a community based organization providing value and service for the residents of Rye, New Hampshire through old home research and preservation.
Our Mission
Rye Advocates is here to raise awareness through education and support around the importance of Rye’s historical structures. We want our efforts to create an engaged historical community that champions the preservation of all historical homes and structures in Rye.
Our History
RA was established in 2020 to carry on the old house research of the Rye Historical Society (RHS). That work both documented and helped preserve Rye’s older structures. The members of RA are comprised of Rye resident volunteers, some of which also serve other community organizations such as the Heritage Commission, Historical Society, Historic District Commission, and Demolition Review.
How It All Started
Back in the 1970’s the Rye Historical Society began researching and documenting the historical homes of Rye. The town did not have a building inspector until 1968 and it wasn’t until 2020 when the Rye Advocates formed to pick up where the Historical Society left off. Dating historic structures is a very challenging endeavor but with the group being comprised of passionate individuals with a keen ability to research this monumental task has been taken on and has seen much success since the group’s inception.
In 2021 the Rye Advocates wrote a letter and sent it to all 317 historical home owners in Rye. The letter introduced the group and asked for the home owner’s to share the history of their house. From there the group began holding free workshops open to the community on how to date their home.
Stage I
The group was set forth to identify and digitize the history of 317 house built before c.1905.
Stage II
Next the group will continue its work with over 800 house built between c. 1905 and c. 1950. The Rye Advocates recognize that most the distinctive American Architectural styles are represented in Rye houses.