Baptist Society Meeting House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Baptist Society Meeting House
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 3–5 Brattle St., Arlington, Massachusetts |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1790 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| MPS | Arlington MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 85001023 |
| Added to NRHP | April 18, 1985 |
The Baptist Society Meeting House is a very old and important building in Arlington, Massachusetts. It was built in 1790. This makes it the oldest church building still standing in the town! Today, people live in it, but it used to be a place where the Baptist community met. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985 because of its history.
About This Historic Building
The old Baptist Society Meeting House is located in Arlington. You can find it on the east side of Brattle Street. It's about halfway between Arlington's town center and Arlington Heights.
What It Looks Like
This building is made of wood and has three and a half stories. It has a pointed roof and two chimneys inside. The outside is covered with clapboards, which are long, thin pieces of wood. The front of the building is symmetrical, meaning it looks the same on both sides. It has five sections across and four sections deep.
Right in the middle of the front, there's a double entrance. A small porch with square posts covers this entrance. The windows on the first two floors are regular sash windows. The windows on the top floor are a bit smaller.
Its Story Through Time
The Baptist Society in Arlington started in 1780. This group was the first to separate from the main Congregational church in town. Before this building was ready, they met in different private homes. One of these was the Capt. Benjamin Locke House.
This meeting house was finally built in 1790. The design of the building was inspired by older meeting houses. These older buildings were in nearby towns like Lexington and Concord. You can even see them in old pictures from the American Revolutionary War.
The Baptist congregation grew and later moved to a new building. This new building is now Arlington's First Baptist Church. In 1828, the Baptist Society sold this old meeting house. It then became a private home.
Originally, the building faced Massachusetts Avenue. But in 1913, it was moved back on its lot. It was also turned to face Brattle Street, where it stands today.
See also
