Centre Street Congregational Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Centre Street Congregational Church
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | Center St., Machias, Maine |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1837 |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 75000114 |
| Added to NRHP | May 12, 1975 |
The Centre Street Congregational Church is a very old and special church located at 9 Center Street in Machias, Maine. It was built a long time ago, between 1836 and 1837. This church is a great example of a building style called Gothic Revival. It looks like it was designed by a famous architect named Richard Upjohn. Because it's so important, the church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. Today, it is part of the United Church of Christ.
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About the Church Building
The Centre Street Congregational Church stands on the east side of Center Street. It is in the middle of downtown Machias. This church is a large building made of wood. It sits on a tall foundation made of granite. The roof has two sloping sides, like a triangle. The outside walls are covered with overlapping wooden boards called clapboard siding.
The Church's Unique Tower
The front of the church faces west. A big square tower sticks out from the front. This tower is a main feature of the building. On the first level of the tower, there are three arched openings. These arches are shaped like the pointed arches often seen in Gothic buildings. They lead into an open entrance area. Inside this area, there are more Gothic-arched doors that lead into the church itself.
The tower goes up in several sections. Each section has a tall, pointed Gothic window. These windows have thin, flat columns next to them. These columns are called pilasters. The tower also has decorative lines called cornices. At the top corners of the third section, there are small, pointed decorations called pinnacles. The very top of the tower has a clock. This clock has faces on all four sides. Above the clock, there are more pinnacles and a tall, pointed steeple.
History of the Church
The design for the Centre Street Congregational Church was made in 1836. The church was finished in 1837. It is one of the oldest buildings in Maine that shows the Gothic style. Another very old Gothic church is the Christ Episcopal Church in Gardiner, built in 1819.
Who Designed It?
A person named Mr. Stephenson designed the church. We don't know much about him. However, the plans for this church look very much like the plans for St. John's Catholic Church in Bangor. That church was built between 1835 and 1839. It was designed by the famous architect Richard Upjohn. Sadly, the Bangor church is not standing anymore.
Special Features Inside
The church bell has a very interesting history. It was made by the foundry of Paul Revere. Yes, that Paul Revere, the famous American patriot! The bell was already used when it came to this church. The organ inside the church was built by George Stevens. It was put in place in 1867. The clock in the tower was made by E. Howard & Co.. It was installed in 1870.
See also
