Congdon Street Baptist Church facts for kids
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Congdon Street Baptist Church
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U.S. National Historic Landmark District
Contributing Property |
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(2012)
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 Location in Rhode Island
Location in the United States
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| Location | Providence, Rhode Island |
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| Built | 1874 |
| Architect | Hartshorn & Wilcox |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Part of | College Hill Historic District (ID70000019) |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000032 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | June 21, 1971 |
| Designated NHLDCP | November 10, 1970 |
The Congdon Street Baptist Church is a very old and important church located at 17 Congdon Street in the College Hill area of Providence, Rhode Island. It has a special history because it was built by and for the African American community.
Contents
History of the Church
The church community started in 1819. At first, they met in a different building nearby. That first building was taken down in 1869.
The church building you see today was built between 1874 and 1875. It is a single-story building designed in the Italianate style. This style often includes decorative details and tall windows.
Building Design and Features
The church has special wooden decorations under its roof edges and on its gables. These decorations look a bit like stacked bricks. The windows on the long sides of the building are tall and have a rounded top. On the front, facing the street, there is a large window made of three round-arch sections.
The church also has a square tower. Each level of the tower has the same decorative woodwork as the main building. The church is built into a hill, so you can see a full brick basement. You enter the building through this basement level. Inside, the church has simple but beautiful Victorian-era woodwork and stenciled designs on the walls.
The architects who designed this church were Hartshorn & Wilcox. Mr. Hartshorn had learned from another famous architect, Thomas A. Tefft. Because of this, the church's design looks similar to many of Tefft's buildings.
A Place for Change
In December 1968, something important happened at the church. About 65 Black students from Brown University walked from their campus to the Congdon Street Baptist Church. They stayed there for three days. This was a peaceful protest. The students wanted more Black students to be accepted into Brown University. They also wanted the university to offer more support for its Black students.
Historic Recognition
The Congdon Street Baptist Church is very important for its architecture and history. Because of this, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. It is also a part of the larger College Hill Historic District.
Gallery
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View from the west in 2012
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View from the south in 2021, showing the deterioration of the exterior
See also
