Asbury United Methodist Church (Chesterfield, New Hampshire) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Asbury United Methodist Church
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | 532 NH 63, Chesterfield, New Hampshire |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1844 |
| Built by | Coolidge, Oscar C. |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 83004009 |
| Added to NRHP | December 21, 1983 |
The Asbury United Methodist Church is a very old and important church in Chesterfield, New Hampshire. It is located on NH 63. Many people call it the "mother church of Methodism in New Hampshire." This means it was one of the first places where the Methodist faith grew in the state.
The church is home to the oldest Methodist group in New Hampshire. This group started way back in 1795! The church building itself was built in 1844. It has a special style called Greek Revival architecture. This style looks a bit like ancient Greek temples. Because of its history and beautiful design, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
Discovering the Asbury Church
The Church's Look and Feel
The Asbury United Methodist Church stands in the center of Chesterfield. It is on the east side of New Hampshire Route 63. The building is made of wood and has one main floor with a half-story above. It is shaped like a rectangle and has a pointy roof.
A tall tower stands at the front of the church. The front of the church has three main sections. These sections are separated by four flat columns called pilasters. There are doors in the two outer sections and a window in the middle. A porch without a roof stretches across the front. It has a railing with a crisscross pattern and wide steps in the center.
The tower has two square parts. The bottom part has pilasters at its corners. The top part holds the church bell. It also has pilasters that match those on the front of the church.
A Long History of Faith
Methodism first came to southwestern New Hampshire in 1793. A preacher named Jesse Lee shared his teachings. Enough people became interested to form a church group by 1795. The first Methodist area, or "circuit," was called the "Chesterfield circuit." This was because it was based right here.
At first, this group met in people's homes. They also used schools and other church buildings. They did this before their own church was built. The Asbury United Methodist Church was built in 1844. A builder named Oscar C. Coolidge constructed it. The church's design shows touches from the early work of Ammi Burnham Young. He was a famous architect from Lebanon, New Hampshire.
See also
