First Church of Christ, Unitarian facts for kids
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First Church of Christ, Lancaster
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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First Church of Christ Unitarian: Its Fifth Meeting House designed by architect Charles Bulfinch, built 1815–1817.
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| Location | Lancaster, Massachusetts |
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| Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Built | 1816 |
| Architect | Charles Bulfinch |
| Architectural style | Federal style |
| Part of | Center Village District (ID77000198) |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000897 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | December 30, 1970 |
| Designated NHL | December 30, 1970 |
| Designated CP | September 15, 1977 |
The First Church of Christ, Unitarian is a very old and important church in Lancaster, Massachusetts. People also call it the First Church of Lancaster or "the Bulfinch Church." Its main building, called a meeting house, is at 725 Main Street. It was built in 1816 and designed by a famous architect named Charles Bulfinch. Because it's such a special building, it was named a National Historic Landmark in 1977. This means it's one of the best examples of Bulfinch's work.
Contents
A Look Back: The Church's History
The First Church of Christ was started in 1653 by the Puritans who lived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The town of Lancaster itself also began in 1653. The church building you see today was constructed in 1816. It was made from local brick and slate. At that time, Nathaniel Thayer was the minister.
This meeting house was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 30, 1970. It was also named a National Historic Landmark on the same day. A historian named G. E. Kidder Smith once said it was "one of the great federal style churches in the country." This shows how important its design is.
In May 2010, the church started a project to fix up its cupola and the front of the building. A group called the Bulfinch Fund helped pay for this work. This fund is dedicated to restoring buildings designed by Charles Bulfinch. The church used to be a Congregational church. Now, it is a Unitarian Universalist church. Wil Darcangelo is its current minister.
Amazing Architecture: The Church's Design
The church building has a rectangular shape. The front part sticks out a bit and holds a two-part tower. At the very front, there's a special entrance area called a portico. It has three tall, rounded archways. These arches frame the three doors that lead inside. The middle door is taller than the other two.
Between the arches are flat, column-like structures called pilasters. These pilasters go up to a decorative band and a triangular roof section called a pediment. The pediment has fancy edges and plain brickwork inside. The sides of the portico also have arches and pilasters.
The tower section is as wide as the portico. It goes up to the height of the pediment's peak. Above this, the tower itself begins. It has carved wooden fan designs on its sides. The first part of the tower is square. It has clock faces on its brick walls.
Above another decorative band is the second part of the tower. This section is round and has a partially open bell tower. Twelve Ionic columns surround the bell tower. These columns support another decorative band. Above this is a small attic section decorated with carved fabric-like designs. The very top has a round dome and a weathervane.
See also
- First Church of Christ (disambiguation)
- List of National Historic Landmarks in Massachusetts
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Worcester County, Massachusetts
Images for kids
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The church's meeting house, built in 1816.
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