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Around 1894, Winchester had a livery stable of its own. Located just off the town square, the livery played an integral part in helping folks get around and housing horses until they were needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, the change of the times would see the livery close down and change hands over the years. The livery would become a freight depot, feed store, and finally, a dry cleaner. Eventually abandoned, the building seemed destined to meet a fate of destruction. However, some still believed in the building and saw its hidden potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Former Winchester City Council member Bill Cowan was one of these individuals. Cowan has been instrumental in advocating for the building and recognizing it as the valuable community event space it is today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Cowan, at one time, the livery was the \u201cugliest building in town,\u201d but there was something about it that he loved\u2014something that led him to advocate for it. It led him to dig through decades and layers of dust and dirt and dig out what is now considered one of the most handsome buildings in the city\u2014so attractive that it is now a well-known event space where weddings, parties, reunions, and more take place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Serving on the city\u2019s council in 2013, Cowan recommended purchasing the building. However, they would pass on the recommendation at the time. After retiring from the board, a local construction company contacted Cowan and informed him that the building had been purchased. They asked if he\u2019d like to be a part of the reconstruction.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Eager, Cowan accepted and has since acted as an honorary steward for the building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen you have time, you might as well share it,\u201d he said. \u201cIt took almost a year for the renovation and was an involved process. It\u2019s got character. I think these old buildings have personality, and this building, especially, had personality. It would have been more economical to have built a new building. But to have demolished it would have been a tragedy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Today, The Winchester Livery is a 3600-square-foot renovated historical event and community space and is home to several events that continue to grow. The renovated space has state-of-the-art audio-video equipment, a catering kitchen, and handicap-accessible restrooms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But the space also nods to its livery stable roots with its exposed brick, steel beams, and stained concrete floors still giving it a charming historic, rustic, and industrial feel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cowan said he is proud to see the old space revived and doing good in the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s a reward to see how it\u2019s turned out and how the pubic had responded to it,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s gratifying to see the space used for things involving the community. It was a good investment.\u201d GN<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" During the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries, a livery stable was an important and necessary institution in every city and town.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":10224,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10158","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-feature"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/goodnewsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/DSC00602-1024x683.jpg\")