Clinton African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Clinton African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 9 Elm Ct., Great Barrington, Massachusetts |
|---|---|
| Area | less than one acre |
| Architectural style | Shingle style |
| NRHP reference No. | 08000464 |
| Added to NRHP | May 29, 2008 |
The Clinton African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church is a very old and important church building in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. It was the first church for African American people in Berkshire County. A famous civil rights leader, W.E.B. Du Bois, attended services here when he was young. This church was finished in 1887 and still serves its community today. It is a special place for African American worship in southern Berkshire County.
Contents
A Church with a Rich History
African Americans have lived in Berkshire County, Massachusetts since the time of the American colonies. Some were enslaved, while others were free or had escaped slavery. Before the Clinton AME Church was built, these people went to church with white residents.
After the American Civil War, many African Americans moved to the area from the southern states. Around the 1860s, a group of African Americans started meeting for church services. This group included both new families from the South and older families from the North.
In 1881, this growing church group bought land on Elm Court. They started building their church in 1886. It was officially opened in 1887. The church cost $4,275 to build.
Who Attended This Historic Church?
Many people attended the Clinton AME Church. One famous person was W.E.B. Du Bois, who later became a very important civil rights activist. His uncle was an active member of the church. The people who belonged to this church also helped start other African American churches in the county.
In 1938, the church raised money to add a parsonage. A parsonage is a house for the church's minister. In the 1940s and 1950s, the church basement was finished. This made it a good place for social events and gatherings. The church has also had its doors and windows replaced over the years. These changes were made carefully to keep the church's original look. In 2008, the church was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is recognized as an important historic site.
What Does the Church Look Like?
The main part of the church, built in the 1880s, is a long, rectangular building. It is about 55 feet long and 24 feet wide. The roof has a special design called a truss roof. The ends of the building have decorative shingles, which are flat pieces of wood used for covering roofs and walls.
A tall tower, about 30 feet high, is attached to the front corner of the church. This tower also has a small entrance area. This area separates the main entrance from the sanctuary, which is the main worship space.
Inside the Sanctuary
The sanctuary is 39 feet long and 24 feet wide. It has twenty rows of pews, which are long benches for people to sit on. There are four windows on each side of the sanctuary. Some of these windows have beautiful stained glass.
The pulpit, where the minister speaks, is made of ash wood and is on the right side. On the left side, there is a platform for the choir and the organ. The walls of the sanctuary were originally covered with wood paneling called wainscoting. This has since been covered by other paneling. Behind the sanctuary is a room called the vestry. This room changed a bit when the parsonage was added in the 1930s.
The Basement and Parsonage
When the church was first built, there was a trap door in the floor to get to the basement. In 1951, this was replaced with stairs. This made it easier to get to the finished basement space. The basement has a low ceiling and is about the same size as the sanctuary above it. On one side of the basement, there is a kitchen and the church's heating system.
The parsonage, added in the 1930s, has a simple layout. The living room is partly in what used to be the church's vestry. Upstairs, there are three bedrooms and a bathroom. The parsonage has not changed much since it was built.
See also
