Center Methodist Church facts for kids
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Center Methodist Church
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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The church steeple's renovations are nearly complete, and the steeple was reinstalled on July 26, 2007
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 Location in Cape Cod
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| Location | 356 Commercial St Provincetown, Massachusetts |
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| Part of | Provincetown Historic District (ID89001148) |
| NRHP reference No. | 75000247 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 31, 1975 |
| Designated CP | August 30, 1989 |
The Center Methodist Church is a historic building in Provincetown, Massachusetts. It's located at 356 Commercial Street and is recognized as an important historical site. Even though it started as a church, it's now home to the Provincetown Public Library.
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A Building with Many Lives
This special building in Provincetown has had many different uses over the years. It started as a church, then became an art museum, and later a heritage museum. Today, it serves the community as the public library.
Here's a quick look at its journey:
- 1860: Built as the Center Methodist Episcopal Church
- 1958: Became the Chrysler Art Museum
- 1974: Used as the Center for the Arts
- 1976: Opened as the Provincetown Heritage Museum
- 2005: Became the Provincetown Public Library
The church was built in 1860. It was once considered the largest Methodist church in the United States. It cost $22,000 to build and could seat 900 people in 128 pews. The original steeple was 162 feet tall and held a huge bronze bell.
A big storm called the Portland Gale damaged the steeple. In 2007, a new steeple was put in place, but it was made shorter, standing 100 feet tall. Even with the change, the building remains a very noticeable landmark in Provincetown. As the local newspaper, the Provincetown Banner, said:
Even today looking from the end of MacMillan Wharf towards town, the building is one of the most prominent on the skyline.
The Chrysler Art Museum Years
In 1958, the building was sold for $40,000 to Walter P. Chrysler Jr.. He was the son of Walter Chrysler, who founded the Chrysler Corporation. Walter P. Chrysler Jr. wanted to use the building as an art museum to show his collection. He collected many artworks by local artists during this time.
In 1962, his art collection faced some questions. An exhibition called "The Controversial Century: 1850–1950" was held at the museum. Out of 187 artworks shown, 90 were said to be not real by the Art Dealers Association of America. Some of the questioned artworks were thought to be by famous artists like Henri Matisse and Vincent van Gogh. Mr. Chrysler defended his artworks, saying they were real.
Chrysler continued to run the museum until 1970. In 1971, he moved his collection to Virginia. It is still a museum there today, called the Chrysler Museum of Art. There are different stories about why he moved the collection. Some say the collection grew too big for the old church building. Others remember that he was upset because the town of Provincetown didn't help him find parking for museum visitors.
Becoming the Heritage Museum
In 1974, the building was sold again for $90,000. Thanks to the efforts of local historical groups, the building was officially recognized as a historic place in October 1975.
Then, in 1976, the town decided to buy the building for $135,000. It was then used by the Provincetown Historical Association to display historical items from the town. The Provincetown Heritage Museum officially opened to the public on July 4, 1976.
The Rose Dorothea Model
A very special addition came to the building in 1977 while it was the Heritage Museum. This addition is a half-size model of Provincetown's famous fishing schooner, the Rose Dorothea.
The original Rose Dorothea was a fishing boat that won the Lipton's Cup in 1907. This was during the first and only Fisherman's Race, a long 42-mile race. The real boat was later sold and used to carry supplies. In 1917, a German U-boat submarine sank the Rose Dorothea after letting its crew get to safety.
Sixty years later, in 1977, work began on building the replica model. It was officially dedicated on June 25, 1988. The model is 66 feet 6 inches long and 12 feet 6 inches wide. The original boat was much larger, at 108.7 feet long, and had a crew of 26 men.
Today: Provincetown Public Library
The Heritage Museum operated seasonally with a small staff and volunteers until 2000. In 2001, the town decided to give the building to the Provincetown Public Library. In 2002, renovations began to turn the historic church into a modern library. The library moved into this building from its old location, the Provincetown Public Library, which was a few blocks away.
The library's website explained the plans for the building:
The inside of the building will be completely redone and restored to look as much like its original design as possible. ... The grand staircases will be made safe for public use, and the vaulted ceiling will be changed to fit the masts of the Rose model. Finally, after many years of work, the Provincetown Public Library officially opened to the public on April 28, 2005, and this great building that has had so many lives began a new chapter in its history.
During the renovation, a big decision was made: whether to keep the Rose Dorothea model inside the new library or remove it, which would have destroyed it. It was decided to keep the schooner model. You can see it inside the library today.
See also
