Christ Episcopal Church (Gardiner, Maine) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Christ Episcopal Church
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | 2 Dresden Ave., Gardiner, Maine |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1820 |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 73000129 |
| Added to NRHP | July 24, 1973 |
Christ Episcopal Church is a very old and special church in Gardiner, Maine. It was built way back in 1820. This church is home to the oldest group of Episcopal churchgoers in Maine.
It's also super important because it's the oldest building in New England built in the "Gothic Revival" style. This style makes buildings look like old European castles or cathedrals. Because it's so unique, the church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
What Does the Church Look Like?
Christ Episcopal Church is in the middle of Gardiner. It's next to the town common, where Church Street and Dresden Street meet. The church is made of stone and shaped like a rectangle.
It has a tall, square tower sticking out from the front. The main roof has flat parts and a pointed middle section. Around the roof, there are cool, castle-like decorations called "crenellations." The top of the square tower also has these crenellations. Above that, there's an eight-sided spire that points up to the sky.
The front of the church has three entrances. Each entrance is shaped like a tall, pointed arch. Above these doors are big, beautiful Gothic windows. The window in the tower is much larger than the others. On the sides of the church, you'll see three more tall Gothic windows.
A Look Back: The Church's History
The Episcopal Church group in Gardiner started a long time ago, in 1772. It was founded by Sylvester Gardiner, who owned a lot of land there. The city of Gardiner is even named after him!
The building you see today, built in 1820, is actually the third church home for this group. Their first church burned down in 1792. Then, they built a second one, but soon, too many people were coming, and it became too small.
The Reverend Samuel Farmer Jarvis designed this church. He called its style "Gothick" back then. At the time, no other building in New England looked quite like it. It was truly a new and exciting design!
