Rotted floorboards pulled away by the renovation team at the Bedford Historical Society revealed an archeological treasure underneath—the remains of the original Meeting House foundation, built by town founders in 1683.   

Any homeowner faced with the task of extensive flooring renovation to their home knows the headaches and unexpected costs that come up. When you're refurbishing a 327-year-old structure, some interesting surprises surface.

Ben Branch, a property consultant for the society, said they had to replace the floors which had buckled over time due to moisture in the building's crawl space.

"There were two layers of flooring on top of the sill floor, which needed to be removed to address the moisture problem and the structural issues," he said.   

Visitors to the hall on Saturday and Sunday were treated to a rare glimpse of the historically significant floors, and a window into the herculean task of renovating the 19th-century building, one of the ten properties maintained by the society.

Evelyne Ryan, the executive director of the Historical Society, was enthusiastic about the discovery of the foundation and said they were careful to document the process.

After the wood was removed, one wall of stone foundation was exposed, hinting at the building's past as one part of a three-acre common including a burying ground and grist mill laid out by the founders back in 1681.  

The demise of the first Meeting House remains uncertain. Either burned or rendered unusable, it was replaced by the second Meeting House, built at the north end of the village—but that was torched by British troops in 1779 during the Revolutionary War.  

In 1837, the Methodist Church moved from Bedford Four Corners to the site of the original Meeting House. At that time, a new foundation was built and support beams were put in place giving the church a new home.

It remained so for the next four generations.  In 1916, the church ceased holding worship services.  The Bedford Historical Society then acquired the building and renamed it Historical Hall.   

Branch also pointed to remnants of chestnut beams that were originally placed back in 1806, and said that workers have also discovered a host of interesting artifacts, including a half-pint bottle that may have held liquor.

(Was it used by one of the congregants to fortify himself during one of the pastor's long-winded sermons?)

The project requires a tremendous amount of time, energy and expertise, said society member Paula Desperito.

"The decisions are not all made when it comes to the renovation," she said. "That burden will be open to finer minds than ours."   

Historical Hall is scheduled to be closed until September. The renovation limits the society's ability to rent it, bringing in much-needed dollars to support its mission.   

Historical Hall was rented for 82 days last year was used by the Society for two of those days, according to its 2009 annual report. The hall was rented at reduced rates to thirteen non-profit groups such as the Bedford Free Library, the Lions Club and A-Home.

Given the extensive work, September seems like an unattainable date, but Ryan said they had a long-term tenant is expecting to rent the space. "We're working as expeditiously as possible to meet the planned complete date," she said.

The society is actively fundraising to cover expenses.

"When you gaze around the town and see how Bedford has maintained its historic flavor and character, it is worth it," said Ryan.