Alna Meetinghouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Alna Meetinghouse
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Side of the meetinghouse
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | ME 218, Alna Center, Maine |
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| Area | 0.2 acres (0.081 ha) |
| Built | 1789 |
| Architectural style | Colonial |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000079 |
| Added to NRHP | May 19, 1970 |
The Alna Meetinghouse is a very old and special building in Alna Center, Maine. It's located on Maine State Route 218. This meetinghouse was built way back in 1789, making it one of the oldest churches in Maine! What's really cool is that its inside looks almost exactly as it did when it was first built. Because of its history, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.
Exploring the Alna Meetinghouse
The Alna Meetinghouse stands on the west side of Maine 218. It's just north of the Alna Cemetery. The building is made of wood and has two and a half stories. Its roof slopes down on two sides, which is called a gable roof. The outside is covered with wooden boards called clapboards and wooden shingles.
There is no tall tower on this building. A small entry area with its own gable roof sticks out from the front. This is where you enter the building. The main entrance has decorative flat columns, called pilasters, on each side. Above the door is a fancy frame and a decorative ledge.
Inside, balconies go around three sides of the building. These balconies are held up by strong, hand-carved wooden pillars. The original seating areas, called box pews, are still there. A pulpit (where the speaker stands) is also original. Above the pulpit, a special board called a sounding board hangs from the ceiling. This board helps the speaker's voice carry better.
The roof of the meetinghouse is supported by huge, hand-carved wooden beams. These beams are very thick, about 14 to 18 inches (36 to 46 cm) wide.
A Glimpse into History
The area where Alna is today was once part of a bigger town. This town was called Pownalborough, established in 1760. Today, Pownalborough is known as Dresden. The Alna area was the "North Precinct" of that town.
In 1794, this area became its own town called New Milford. Later, in 1811, its name was changed to Alna. The Alna Meetinghouse was built in 1789. It was used regularly for church services until 1876.
