Community Baptist Church and Parsonage facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Community Baptist Church and Parsonage
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 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
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| Location | 2 and 10 Mountain Rd., Montgomery, Vermont |
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| Area | 4.7 acres (1.9 ha) |
| Built | 1866 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival; Colonial Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 15000737 |
| Added to NRHP | October 13, 2015 |
The Community Baptist Church and Parsonage are two important historic buildings located at 2 and 10 Mountain Road in the heart of Montgomery, Vermont. The church building was constructed in 1866. It is a great example of Greek Revival architecture, which was popular a long time ago. The house next to it, called the parsonage, shows off the Colonial Revival style. For many years, the church was a busy place for social events in the town. It closed its doors in 2011. These buildings were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2015 because of their history and unique design.
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Exploring the Church and Parsonage
The Community Baptist Church stands right in the middle of Montgomery's main village. You can find it on the east side of where Vermont Route 118 and Vermont Route 242 (Mountain Road) meet. It is also just north of the Trout River.
What Does the Church Look Like?
The church is a two-story building made of wood. It has a pointed roof and its outside walls are covered with clapboard siding. The building sits on a strong stone foundation. The front of the church faces west and has a grand entrance. It features a tall porch with four square columns. These columns support a decorative band and a plain triangular roof section. This style is known as Greek Revival.
A two-part square tower rises from the church's roof. Both parts of the tower have flat columns at their corners. The top part of the tower has openings with louvers, which is where the church bell would have been. On the main front wall, there are two doors. A beautiful rectangular stained glass window sits between them.
The Parsonage House
Just north of the church is the parsonage. This house is 1-1/2 stories tall. It is a good example of the Colonial Revival style. This style often brings back design ideas from early American homes.
A Look Back: The Church's Story
The Baptist group in Montgomery first started in 1820. It began with just ten people. This was the third Christian group to form in the community. The first group faced some challenges and ended around 1843. A new Baptist group then formed in 1846.
Before this church was built, these groups met in different places. The current church building was finally completed in 1866. A barn for carriages was added behind the church in 1873, but it is no longer there. The house next door was bought to be the parsonage, which is where the minister would live.
The current parsonage house was built in 1922 on the foundation of the older one. In the same year, the Baptists joined together with another church group called the Congregationalists. For a long time, the church was a very important place for town activities. It hosted many social events, like community dinners. Groups like the Boy Scouts also met there.
The Baptist group became very small and finally stopped meeting in 2011. A local community group has now taken over the building. They use it for different town activities.
See also
