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 important building located on Dana Hill Road in New Hampton, New Hampshire. It's also known as the First Free Will Baptist Meeting House or the Dr. Dana Meetinghouse. This historic building has a long story, going back to the early 1800s.
Contents
History of the Meeting House
The Dana Meeting House was built in 1800. It was constructed by a group called the Free Will Baptist congregation. They decided to build their own meeting house after most people in town voted for the town's main building, the New Hampton Town House, to be used by another church group called the Congregationalists.
Early Days and Founding
Before their own building was ready, the Baptist group met in people's homes. They believed in a church where ministers were not paid. The Dana Church officially started on January 6, 1800, at the home of Captain Peter Hanaford.
First Leaders and Preachers
When the meeting house was first used in December 1802, three men led the services. These were Simeon Dana, who was a doctor, Josiah Magoon, a veteran from the Revolutionary War, and Thomas Perkins, who was a lawmaker.
Dr. Dana became the most well-known leader. He regularly led Sunday services from 1803 until 1853. The meeting house was eventually named after him. Other important early preachers included Benjamin Randall and John Colby.
Josiah Magoon's Family
Josiah Magoon was chosen as one of the messengers to a larger church meeting in Canterbury in 1800. In April 1802, he was one of three men chosen to oversee the building of the meeting house.
Josiah's son, Stephen Magoon, was a skilled cabinetmaker. He made the pews and finished the inside of the church. Elder Josiah Magoon traveled a lot, preaching in Maine, Vermont, and mostly in New Hampshire. Many of his family members later became important ministers, teachers, architects, politicians, and lawyers. Stephen Sleeper Magoon's house is still across the street from the Dana Meeting House.
Town Meetings and Pews
The very first town meeting in this building happened on March 9, 1801. Inside the meeting house, you can still see plaques on the pews. These plaques show the names of the founding families and where they used to sit.
Later Years and Recognition
Regular Free Will Baptist services continued every Sunday until 1860. After that, services were stopped, but the meeting house was still used for summer services. A famous minister named Rev. Adoniram Judson Gordon, who grew up in New Hampton, often preached there during the summers. He later founded Gordon College.
The Dana Meeting House was recognized as a very important historical site in 1984. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Inside, it still has its original box pews (which are like small enclosed seating areas) and some regular pews.
Images for kids
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Dana Meeting House
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Dana Meeting House
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Rev. Adoniram Judson Gordon
