Canaan Meetinghouse facts for kids
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Canaaan Meetinghouse
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | Canaan St., Canaan, New Hampshire |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1794 |
| Architect | Parkhurst, William |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Part of | Canaan Street Historic District (ID73000163) |
| NRHP reference No. | 72001598 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | March 24, 1972 |
| Designated CP | May 7, 1973 |
The Canaan Meetinghouse is a very old and important building in Canaan, New Hampshire. It was built way back in 1794. This historic building was once a busy center for town meetings and religious gatherings. It's a great example of a Federal period meeting house.
The meetinghouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. This means it's recognized as a special place in American history. The next year, it became part of the Canaan Street Historic District. The town still owns this building today, and people can even rent it for events.
Contents
Discovering the Canaan Meetinghouse
The Canaan Meetinghouse stands proudly at the corner of Canaan Street and Apple Blossom Road. It looks out over Canaan Street Lake to the east. This building is made of wood and has two and a half stories. It has a pointed roof and its outside walls are covered with overlapping wooden boards called clapboards.
What Does It Look Like?
A tall, square tower sticks out from the front of the building. This tower reaches about 53 feet (16 meters) high. At the top, there's a section for a clock and an open, eight-sided bell tower.
The main door you use now is at the bottom of this tower. It has fancy decorations around it, including flat columns called pilasters. The original main door is on the long south side of the building. It's a bit simpler but still very old.
Inside the Historic Building
When you go inside, you'll see rows of long wooden benches. These are called pews. They replaced the original "box pews," which were like small, enclosed rooms for families. The upper gallery, which was once an open balcony, has been covered. This created a full second floor inside the meetinghouse.
History of the Meetinghouse
This beautiful building was constructed in the mid-1790s. It was designed in the Federal style, which was popular for buildings at that time. It was first built to be a church.
How the Town Used It
From the very beginning, the meetinghouse was also used for important town meetings. It was a place where people gathered to make decisions for their community. In 1829, the town officially bought the building.
When the town bought it, they made some changes. They turned the building so the main entrance was on the shorter side. Originally, there were stairwells sticking out from both short sides. After the town bought it, one stairwell was placed on top of the other. This is how they created the tall tower you see today!
Changes Over Time
In 1841, another big change happened. The upper gallery was turned into a full second floor. This new floor was meant to be a church space for the local Baptist community. So, the building continued to serve both religious and town purposes for many years.
See also
