First Congregational Church (Charlotte, Michigan) facts for kids
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First Congregational Church
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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The First Congregational Church, August 2014
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | 106 S. Bostwick St., Charlotte, Michigan |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1872 |
| Architect | Charles H. Marsh; W.H. Wells and Brothers |
| Architectural style | Romanesque |
| Part of | Charlotte Central Historic District (ID100002684) |
| NRHP reference No. | 93000872 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | August 26, 1993 |
The First Congregational Church is an old and important church building in Charlotte, Michigan. You can find it at 106 South Bostwick Street. This church was built in 1872. Because of its history, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1993. Today, it is still used as a Congregational church.
History of the Church
The First Congregational Church in Charlotte started in 1851. It was founded by a person named Rev. Joseph Dunton. At first, the church members met in the area around Charlotte.
In 1852, the group moved into the village of Charlotte. By 1854, they were meeting at the county courthouse. In 1856, they built their first church. It was a simple wooden building.
Charlotte grew quickly, and the church needed more space. In 1866, the members decided to build a bigger church. But they did not have enough money. So, they made the 1856 church larger instead.
In 1871, the church members decided again to build a new church. They bought the land where the church stands today. In 1872, they chose Charles H. Marsh to design the building. He was an architect from New York.
The first stone of the new church was placed in 1873. The back part of the church was built first. It was finished and opened in 1876. The whole church, including the main worship area, was not finished until 1880.
In 1881, a large pipe organ was put into the church. A bell was also placed in the church tower. The organ was later replaced in 1945. The church pews, which are the long seats, were replaced in 1961.
What the Church Looks Like
The First Congregational Church of Charlotte is a big building. It is shaped like the letter "L" and has a pointed roof. The church is made of reddish-orange bricks. All the windows and doors have special round tops. This style is called "round arch."
The main part of the church is a large rectangular room. This is where people gather for services. A two-story room sticks out from the back. This room is used for lectures and meetings. The whole church building is about 125 feet long and 75 feet wide.
Two square towers stand at the front of the church. They both have pyramid-shaped roofs. One tower is taller than the other. The main entrance is a double door in the middle of the front. There are also smaller entrances at the bottom of each tower.
The main worship room has tall, narrow windows. They have round tops and go up two stories high. Strong brick supports, called buttresses, separate these windows. The lecture room section has round-top windows on each floor. These are also separated by brick supports.
Inside the church, there is a hallway across the front. This hallway is called a vestibule. It leads into the main worship room. Stairs from the vestibule go down to the basement. Other stairs go up to a balcony above the vestibule.
The main worship room is one large space. It has a middle aisle and two side aisles. Pews are placed between the aisles. At the front, there is a raised area with a stand for reading and a pulpit for speaking. A door from this area opens into the lecture room part of the building.
All the windows in the main worship room have beautiful stained glass. These colorful windows were made by W.H. Wells & Bros. of Chicago in 1879. The lecture room section has offices and meeting rooms. It also has Sunday School rooms and a nursery for young children.
