Central Congregational Church (Eastport, Maine) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Central Congregational Church
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | 26 Middle St., Eastport, Maine |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1829 |
| Architect | Low, Daniel |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 76000116 |
| Added to NRHP | June 23, 1976 |
The Central Congregational Church is a really old and important church building in Eastport, Maine, USA. It was built way back in 1829. This church is a fantastic example of a building style called Federal style. It's amazing because it was built in what was then a "frontier community" – a new, developing area! Because of its history and beautiful design, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
Contents
Discovering the Church's Design
The Central Congregational Church stands on Middle Street in Eastport. It's a wooden building with a pointed roof. The outside walls are covered with overlapping wooden boards. The church sits on a strong stone foundation.
What Does the Front Look Like?
The front of the church faces east. It has a balanced look with three main doorways. Tall, flat columns, called pilasters, go up to the roofline. Above these is a triangle-shaped part called a pediment. In the middle of this triangle, there's a small, curved "eyebrow" window.
The Church Tower and Steeple
Just behind the front of the church is a square tower. The first part of the tower is tall and has a clock near the top. Above this is an eight-sided section called a belfry. This belfry has arched openings with fancy decorations. Small gables, like tiny roofs, are above these openings. On top of the belfry is an eight-sided steeple, which is the tall, pointed part of the church.
Inside the Church
The inside of the church still looks much like it did when it was first built. It has a high quality design. There's a balcony, called a gallery, that goes around three sides of the room. The fourth side has a beautiful arch with detailed carvings. The pulpit, where the speaker stands, is in front of this arch. The main floor has rows of long wooden benches called pews.
A Look at the Church's History
The Central Congregational Church was built in 1828. It was officially opened in February 1829. The church group itself started even earlier, in 1819. This was Eastport's second church group. The first followed a different type of Christian belief. This new group followed a more traditional Christian teaching.
Who Designed This Historic Building?
It seems that a person named Daniel Low designed the church. He was also part of the group that oversaw the building. Not much else is known about Daniel Low today.
Changes Over Time
The church building has not changed much over the years. The biggest change happened in 1869. A strong wind blew off the original steeple! It had to be rebuilt. The clock on the tower was added at that time too.
Today, the Tides Institute & Museum of Art owns the building. They are turning it into a special historic place. A small group of people still meets at the church for services on Sunday mornings during the summer.
See also
