First Baptist Church (Cambridge, Massachusetts) facts for kids
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First Baptist Church
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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First Baptist Church in 1967
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Magazine and River Streets Cambridge, Massachusetts |
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| Built | 1881 |
| Architect | Hartwell and Richardson |
| Architectural style | Gothic |
| Part of | Central Square Historic District (ID90000128) |
| NRHP reference No. | 75000249 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | April 14, 1975 |
| Designated CP | March 2, 1990 |
The First Baptist Church is a very old and important church. It is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, right in the middle of Central Square. This church is part of the American Baptist group.
The church started a long time ago, in 1817. A group of people who wanted to worship together met in James Hovey's home. Later, in 1844, some members left to start another church nearby. The building you see today was finished in 1881. It was designed by architects named Hartwell and Richardson. Because of its history and special design, the church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. This means it's a really important building to protect.
Contents
What Does the Church Look Like?
The First Baptist Church is in a busy part of Central Square. It sits on a unique piece of land shaped like a trapezoid. This land is surrounded by River Street, Green Street, Magazine Street, and Franklin Street.
Building Shape and Materials
The church building itself looks like the letter "L". The front of the church faces north, towards the main square. The longest part of the building holds the main worship area, called the sanctuary. The back part of the building has a hall for events, offices, and other church rooms.
The church is a tall building made of brick. It has special stone trim and fancy decorations made from terra cotta. Its style is called Gothic Revival. This means it looks like old European churches.
Roof and Tower Details
The roof is made of slate tiles and has a pointed shape, called a gable. Near the top, there's a section with windows called a clerestory. The back part of the building has a roof that crosses the main one. The slate tiles are mostly gray-green, with cool bands of red mixed in.
A tall tower stands at the front corner of the church. It has an open bell area at the top. This area has tall, narrow windows. There are also clock faces on the tower. The very top of the tower is eight-sided and covered in slate.
A History of Rebuilding
This church building is actually the third one built by the Baptist group. They bought the land in 1819. Sadly, the first two churches, built in 1819 and 1866, were both destroyed by fire. This current building has stood strong since 1881.
See also
