Broadway Winter Hill Congregational Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Broadway Winter Hill Congregational Church
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 404 Broadway, Somerville, Massachusetts |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1890 |
| Architect | Hartwell and Richardson |
| Architectural style | Shingle Style |
| MPS | Somerville MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 89001238 |
| Added to NRHP | September 18, 1989 |
The Broadway Winter Hill Congregational Church is a very old and special church building in Somerville, Massachusetts. It's located at 404 Broadway. This church was built a long time ago, in 1890-1891. It was designed by famous architects named Hartwell and Richardson. It's one of the few buildings in Somerville that shows off the unique Shingle style of architecture. Because it's so important, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. Today, the building is used by the Vida Real Church.
Contents
About the Church Building
The Broadway Winter Hill Congregational Church is found near the top of Winter Hill. It sits at the corner of Broadway and Central Street. This building is made of wood. It has a roof that slopes down on two sides, called a gable roof. The roof is set sideways to Broadway.
What the Church Looks Like
The outside of the church has two main parts. The bottom part is made of stone. The upper parts are covered with wooden shingles. The main roof has a small part that sticks out at the top. Below this, there are three beautiful stained glass windows. These windows have smaller, fixed panes above them.
On the left side of the roof, a round, two-story tower sticks out. This tower has a pointy, cone-shaped roof. To the left, facing Central Street, there is a tall square tower. This tower holds the main entrance to the church. The entrance is covered by a small, slanted roof.
The tower looks a bit like a medieval castle. It has small windows in its stone bottom section. Above the stone, there is a wooden section with openings for bells. These openings have fancy wooden designs. The tower is topped with a pyramid-shaped roof. This roof has a flared edge with decorative blocks.
History of the Church
Congregational church activities started in the Winter Hill area in 1863. It began as a Sunday School for children. Two years later, in 1865, a formal church group was created.
In 1881, the church group split because of different ideas about their beliefs. The Winter Hill Congregational Society then decided to build this new church. They started building it in 1890 and finished in 1891. Before this, they used an older church building.
The famous architects Hartwell and Richardson designed this church. It is one of only a few buildings in the city that uses the Shingle style for a large public building.
Other Nearby Places
- Downer Rowhouses, which are right next to the church on Central Street
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Somerville, Massachusetts
