Dana Meeting House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Dana Meeting House
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | Dana Hill Rd., New Hampton, New Hampshire |
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| Area | 0.4 acres (0.16 ha) |
| Built | 1800 |
| NRHP reference No. | 84000516 |
| Added to NRHP | December 13, 1984 |
The Dana Meeting House is a very old and special building in New Hampton, New Hampshire. It's also known as the First Free Will Baptist Meeting House. Built in 1800, it served as a place for people to gather for church services and even for town meetings. Today, it's recognized as a historic landmark.
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The Dana Meeting House: A Historic Place
This old meeting house stands on Dana Hill Road. It was built over 200 years ago. The building is important because of its history. It shows how communities came together long ago.
Building a Community Hub
The Dana Meeting House was built in 1800. A group called the Free Will Baptist congregation built it. This happened after most people in town decided the main town building would be used by another church group.
Before their own meeting house was ready, the Baptist group met in people's homes. They believed in a church where ministers were not paid. This was a different idea for the time.
The church was officially started on January 6, 1800. This happened at the home of Captain Peter Hanaford.
Important People and Changes
Early services at the meeting house were led by three men. They took turns leading the worship.
- Simeon Dana was a doctor.
- Josiah Magoon was a veteran from the Revolutionary War.
- Thomas Perkins was a lawmaker.
Dr. Dana was the most famous of these leaders. He led Sunday services for many years, from 1803 to 1853. The meeting house was named after him. Other important early preachers included Benjamin Randall and John Colby.
Church services were held every Sunday until 1860. After that, regular Free Will Baptist services stopped. But the meeting house was still used. It hosted various summer services.
A well-known minister named Rev. Adoniram Judson Gordon often preached there in the summers. He was from New Hampton. Rev. Gordon later founded Gordon College.
A Look Inside and Its Legacy
The Dana Meeting House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. This means it's a very important historical site. Inside, you can still see old-fashioned box pews. These are like small enclosed seating areas. There are also some regular pews.
The Magoon Family's Contribution
Josiah Magoon was one of the men who helped build the meeting house. He was chosen in April 1802 to oversee its construction. The building was first used in December 1802. This was for the ordination of the first elders and deacons. Josiah Magoon became an elder.
Josiah's son, Stephen Magoon, was a skilled cabinetmaker. He made the pews and finished the inside of the church. Elder Magoon traveled to preach in Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire. Many of his family members became important people. They were ministers, teachers, architects, politicians, and lawyers.
Stephen Sleeper Magoon's house is right across the street from the meeting house. Stephen was a farmer and a merchant. He also held many important jobs in New Hampton.
First Town Meeting and Family Plaques
The very first town meeting in New Hampton was held in this meeting house. This happened on March 9, 1801.
You can still see plaques on the pews inside the meeting house. These plaques have the names of the founding families. They show where these families used to sit during services.
Images for kids
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Dana Meeting House
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Dana Meeting House interior
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Rev. Adoniram Judson Gordon
