First Freewill Baptist Church (East Alton, New Hampshire) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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First Freewill Baptist Church
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | Drew Hill Rd., East Alton, New Hampshire |
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| Area | 0.3 acres (0.12 ha) |
| Built | 1826 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 78000209 |
| Added to NRHP | August 2, 1978 |
The First Freewill Baptist Church is a very old church building located in East Alton, New Hampshire. It was built way back in 1826 and still looks much like it did in 1847! This church is a great example of what a country church looked like in the mid-1800s. Because it's so special, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. This means it's an important historical site in the United States.
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About the Church Building
The First Freewill Baptist Church stands in a quiet, rural area in the middle of Alton. It's a one-story building made of wood. It has a pointed roof and its outside walls are covered with overlapping wooden boards called clapboards. The church sits on a strong stone foundation.
Special Design Features
The church has a style called "Greek Revival." This means it looks a bit like ancient Greek temples. You can see this in the tall, flat columns at the corners, called pilasters. There's also a decorative band above them, known as an entablature. These same designs are on the bottom part of the bell tower. Inside the tower, you'll find the original bell from when the church was built!
Inside the Church
When you step inside, you'll notice many original parts. There are old gas light fixtures and lights on the walls. The lower part of the walls has wooden panels called wainscoting. This wood ends with a simple rail, like a small shelf. At the back of the main room, there's a simple pulpit, which is where the preacher would stand. Most of the room is filled with long wooden benches called pews. The small doors that used to be on these pews were taken off around 1847.
Church History
This church was used regularly until 1860. After that, many church members moved to a different Baptist church in the main town center. This old area became less important, especially after a railroad arrived in Alton Bay in 1885. The railroad bypassed the old town center completely.
Keeping History Alive
In 1920, a group of people from the community decided to form an organization. Their goal was to take care of and maintain this historic church building. It's one of the only buildings left from the original town center of Alton. It helps us remember what the area was like long ago.
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