Evangelical Baptist Church (Laconia, New Hampshire) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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The Cake Theater
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | Veterans Square, Laconia, New Hampshire |
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| Area | 0.1 acres (0.040 ha) |
| Built | 1836 |
| Architect | Davis, Arthur L. |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Gothic |
| NRHP reference No. | 85002189 |
| Added to NRHP | September 12, 1985 |
The Cake Theater is a very old and important building in Laconia, New Hampshire. It stands on Veterans Square. This building has had many names over the years, including Meredith Bridge Congregational Church and Evangelical Baptist Church. It was first built in 1836. Over time, it has been changed and updated to fit different uses and styles. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. This list recognizes places that are important to history.
Contents
What Does The Cake Theater Look Like?
The building is located on the east side of Veterans Square in downtown Laconia. It is next to the current Congregational church. It is also across from the old train station. The building has two stories and is made of wood. It has a pointed roof and its outside walls are covered with clapboard siding.
Special Features of the Building
A square tower sticks out a little from the front of the building. This tower goes up to a tall, eight-sided spire. The corners of the building have flat, decorative columns called pilasters. These columns reach up to a decorative band called an entablature and a fancy cornice with small blocks.
The windows on the first floor are small and rectangular. The windows on the second floor are tall with rounded tops. Some of these upper windows even have pairs of smaller, rounded-arch windows inside them.
A Building with a Long History
The Cake Theater building was first built in 1836. It was made for a group of Congregationalist church members. Their old church had burned down, so they needed a new one. The building first looked like a Greek Revival style. This style was popular for its grand, classical look.
Changes Over the Years
In 1871, the building had big changes made to its outside. A second floor was added by lifting the whole building and building a new lower level. A taller tower was also built at this time.
In 1902, a fire in the city center caused a lot of damage. Gunpowder at a nearby hardware store exploded. The church building was badly hurt. A group of Baptist church members bought the damaged building. They moved it to its current spot in 1903.
Surviving Storms and New Uses
The top parts of the tower fell off during the New England Hurricane of 1938. This was a very strong storm. After the hurricane, a new steeple was built. A new bell was also put in the tower.
The Evangelical Baptist Church was the last church group to use the building. They moved to a new location in Lakeport in 2013. After that, the building became The Holy Grail Restaurant and Pub. It opened in May 2014 but closed in April 2017. In May 2020, the Laconia Daily Sun newspaper reported that Justin Spencer bought the building. He is known from the group Recycled Percussion.
Images for kids
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The Cake Theater building, also known as Evangelical Baptist Church.
