Bradford Center Meetinghouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Bradford Center Meetinghouse
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | 18 Rowe Mountain Road, Bradford, New Hampshire |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1838 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 13000384 |
| Added to NRHP | June 14, 2013 |
The Bradford Center Meetinghouse is a really old and important building in Bradford, New Hampshire. You can find it at 18 Rowe Mountain Road. It was built way back in 1838. Back then, this area was the main part of town! This building is a great example of a style called Greek Revival architecture, which was popular for churches in the countryside. Because it's so special, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2013. This list helps protect important historical places.
Contents
What is the Bradford Center Meetinghouse?
The Bradford Center Meetinghouse is a historic church. It stands in a quiet spot today, south of the main town center. You can find it on the north side of Rowe Mountain Road. It's near where Center, West, and County Roads meet.
How does the building look?
The meetinghouse is surrounded by other old parts of the town. There's a grassy common area and the town's very first cemetery nearby. The building itself is a typical church from the 1800s in New England. It's made of wood and sits on a strong granite foundation.
The front of the church has two main doors. Each door has tall, narrow windows on the sides. These windows are called sidelights. There are also flat, column-like decorations called pilasters next to the doors. Above the doors, there's a single large window. The side walls of the church each have three big windows.
What about the tower and bell?
The church has a tower with a special section called a belfry. This belfry is held up by eight columns. Inside the belfry, you can still find the original bell! This bell was put there when the church was built in 1838.
The inside and outside of the building haven't changed much. This means it looks very similar to how it did almost 200 years ago.
History of the Meetinghouse
The Bradford Center Meetinghouse was built in 1838. This happened because of new state laws. These laws said that churches and the government should be separate.
Why was a new meetinghouse needed?
Before this church, the town had a different meetinghouse built in 1796. That older building was used for both religious services and town meetings. It was a place where people gathered for church and also to discuss town business.
After the new church was built, the old 1796 meetinghouse was taken apart. It was then moved to a new spot closer to the railroad tracks. Today, that original building is known as the Bradford Town Hall. It still serves the community, but in a different way!
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Merrimack County, New Hampshire
- New Hampshire Historical Marker No. 108: Bradford Center
