Clare Congregational Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Clare Congregational Church |
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The Clare Congregational Church is a special building in Clare, Michigan. You can find it at 110 West Fifth Street. This church is also known as the Clare Congregational United Church of Christ. It's so important that it was named a Michigan State Historic Site in 1994. It was also added to the National Register of Historic Places that same year.
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History of the Church
The town of Clare started around 1870. In 1872, a person named Rev. Austin H. Norris came to town. He helped start the Clare Congregational Church.
At first, the church members met in a school building. But soon, they began building their own church. This first church was a small wooden building. It was finished in 1874.
A New Building for the Church
By 1907, the church needed a bigger building. The old wooden church was moved to the back of the property. In 1908, they hired an architect named William T. Cooper. He designed the new, larger church building.
Construction of the new church was completed in 1909. This is the beautiful building you see today.
In 1961, the Clare Congregational Church joined with another group. They became known as the Clare Congregational United Church of Christ. The building was updated in 1994. It is still used by the church members today.
What the Church Looks Like
The Clare Congregational Church is made of red brick. It has special limestone decorations. The church sits on a strong concrete base. It is shaped like a cross.
In the middle, there is an eight-sided dome. This dome has pretty stained glass windows. The main entrance is a small structure with a sloped roof. It is located at one corner of the church.
Inside the Church
Inside, the main worship area is shaped like a half-circle. It has patterns on the walls. These patterns were made using stencils from Europe.
Some of the stained glass windows are very old. They were actually in the first church building from 1874. In 1958, a small addition was built at the back of the church.
This church is special because of its design. It shows how churches in the early 1900s were inspired. They looked back to very old church designs from the 5th and 6th centuries.
