Christian Union Society Meetinghouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Christian Union Society Meetinghouse
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 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
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| Location | Bayley-Hazen Military Rd., South Walden, Vermont |
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| Area | 0.5 acres (0.20 ha) |
| Built | 1825 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 80000385 |
| Added to NRHP | May 23, 1980 |
The Christian Union Society Meetinghouse is a very old church in South Walden, Vermont. It is also known as the South Walden United Methodist Church. This special building was put on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
It was built in 1825 and shows off a style called Federal architecture. This style was popular when the United States was a young country. The church is also important because it was part of a big religious movement in the 1800s. This time was called the "Age of Benevolence."
What Does the Church Look Like?
The Christian Union Society Meetinghouse is in a quiet, country area. It stands on the west side of the Bayley Hazen Military Road. The building is made of wood and has two stories. Its outside walls are covered with wooden boards called clapboards. The roof has a pointed shape, known as a gabled roof.
Because the ground slopes, the church looks like one story from the front. But if you look from the sides, you can see the lower level. A tall tower rises from the middle of the roof. This tower has three parts. The bottom part is square and has an open area for a bell, called a belfry. Above that are two parts shaped like an octagon (an eight-sided shape). Each part gets smaller as it goes up. The very top has a small, rounded dome called a cupola.
The front of the church has three sections. There are windows on each side of the main entrance. The entrance itself has a small roof over it, held up by decorative supports. Inside, the church looks mostly like it did after some changes were made in the late 1800s.
A Church for Many Groups
The church was built in 1825 to be a "union church." This meant it was shared by four different Christian groups, or denominations. It was built on land owned by Leonard Farrington, who was one of the first people to settle in the area.
At that time, the Northeast Kingdom region of Vermont was experiencing a strong religious movement. This period was known as the "Age of Benevolence." During this time, many new churches were built across the region. The design of this church was inspired by another church in nearby Danville, which is no longer standing.
Over time, the number of people in three of the church groups became smaller. Eventually, the Methodists took full control of the building. The church had big updates in 1897. More changes happened in 1975 and 1976, mainly to make the basement area more modern.
See also
