First Parish Church (Dover, New Hampshire) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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First Parish Church
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | 218 Central Ave., Dover, New Hampshire |
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| Area | 0.5 acres (0.20 ha) |
| Built | 1825 |
| Architect | Davis, Capt. James |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 82001696 |
| Added to NRHP | March 11, 1982 |
The First Parish Church is a very old church located at 218 Central Avenue in Dover, New Hampshire. It was built in 1825 by Captain James Davis. He designed it in the Federal style, which was popular at the time. This church is the fifth building for a church group that started way back in 1633. That makes it the oldest church group in New Hampshire! The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 because of its history. Today, the church is part of the United Church of Christ.
About the Church Building
The First Parish Church is in downtown Dover. It sits on the west side of Central Avenue. It is a tall building made of brick. The roof has a special shape called a gable. The front of the church sticks out a bit. It has a triangular top part called a pediment.
The church has a tall tower. This tower includes a square section for a clock. Above that is an open, eight-sided bell tower. On top of the bell tower is a smaller section and then a tall, pointed steeple. The windows are tall and have rounded tops. There are three doors at the front of the church. Inside, the church looks like it did in the mid-to-late 1800s. It has rows of seats called slip pews.
How the Church Was Designed
Captain James Davis, a skilled builder, constructed the church in 1825. He based his design on another church. This was St. John's Church in Portsmouth. St. John's Church was designed by Alexander Parris. Parris's design was inspired by the work of Charles Bulfinch. The tall steeple of the First Parish Church was copied from a church in Newburyport, Massachusetts.
A Long History
The church group that uses this building started in 1633. They first met at Dover Point. This makes them the oldest church group in the entire state of New Hampshire. The place where their second church was built, in 1654, is also a historic site. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
See Also
