Centre Congregational Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Centre Congregational Church
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Location | Province Rd., Gilmanton, New Hampshire |
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Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
Built | 1826 |
Architectural style | Federal |
NRHP reference No. | 83001125 |
Added to NRHP | September 08, 1983 |
The Centre Congregational Church is an old and important church building in Gilmanton, New Hampshire. It was built a long time ago, between 1826 and 1827. This church is a great example of a building style called "Federal-period." Because of its history and special design, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. This list helps protect important places in the United States.
Contents
Discovering the Centre Congregational Church
The Centre Congregational Church stands in the middle of Gilmanton village. You can find it on the north side of Province Road. This is just west of where Province Road meets New Hampshire Route 140.
What Does the Church Look Like?
The church is a two-story building made of wood. It has a roof that slopes down on two sides, called a gable roof. The main part of the church is shaped like a rectangle.
Special Features of the Building
The front of the church has a deep entrance area. Above this entrance is a triangular shape called a pediment. On top of that is a tall, square bell tower with two sections.
The main door is a large double door. On each side of the door are two columns. These columns hold up a decorative band and a sticking-out ledge. Next to the door are two big arched windows. Above the doorway, there is a special carved panel.
The first part of the bell tower is a simple square section covered with wooden siding. The second part has corner pillars and arched openings for the bells.
Inside the Church
Inside the church, you can still see the original wooden floors and other woodwork. There are also old kerosene light fixtures. These lights are not used anymore, but they are still there. Some of the original church benches were removed to make space for an organ.
A Look at the Church's History
The Centre Congregational Church was built in 1826 and 1827. It was built for a group of people who belonged to the Congregational church. This group formed after a religious disagreement with another church.
The church building is special because its inside was not changed much. Many other churches from that time were updated during the Victorian period. But Gilmanton's population went down during that time. This meant the church did not get many modern updates. So, it still looks much like it did when it was first built.