First Parish Church of Dorchester facts for kids
Quick facts for kids First Parish Dorchester |
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| First Parish Church of Dorchester | |
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| 42°18′29″N 71°03′43″W / 42.3081°N 71.0620°W | |
| Location | Meeting House Hill |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Unitarian Universalist |
| Previous denomination | |
| Website | Church website |
| History | |
| Founded | 1630 |
| Dedicated | May 1897 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Arthur Greene Everett and Samuel W. Mead |
| Style | Colonial Revival |
| Years built | 1897 |
First Parish Dorchester is a Unitarian Universalist church located in Dorchester, Massachusetts. Its story began in 1630 with a group of English Puritans. These Puritans wanted to change the Church of England, not leave it entirely. But life in England became too difficult. So, with encouragement from Reverend John White, they decided to move to New England.
On March 20, 1630, about 140 people set sail from Plymouth, England, on a ship called the Mary and John. Most of them came from the West Country of England. Before they left, they wrote an agreement to form their church. In late May, their ship first landed in what is now Hull, Massachusetts. Then, in June, they arrived at a place the native people, like the Massachusett and Wampanoag, called "Mattapan." The Puritans named their new home "Dorchester Plantation."
Over many years, the church's beliefs changed. It started with Calvinist Puritan ideas. Then it became Congregationalism, followed by Unitarianism around 1816. Finally, in 1961, it joined Unitarian Universalism, a faith with a long history of change and growth.
The first church building was a simple log cabin with a grass roof. Besides the church, the Puritans also started the first elementary school in the New World. This school was special because it was supported by public money. The church building, also called a meeting house, was also where the first town meeting happened. Here, people discussed and decided on important rules for their community. The fifth church building burned down in February 1896. The church you see today was finished in 1897.
In 2015, First Parish finished a big restoration project. This project, which started in 2006, cost $7 million. The latest part of the work made the church more accessible for everyone. It also included fixing and painting the outside, and repairing the tall steeple. Future plans include updating the church hall and adding more space for community events, classes, and activities.
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Helping the Community
The church has always been a very important place for political and social life in Dorchester.
Early Efforts for Justice
The original Puritan church is famous for creating the country's first free public school in 1636. This school was paid for by taxes. In 1641, a woman named Dorcas ye blackmore, who was a servant, became the first African American to join a church in New England. She taught other servants about her faith. The church even tried to help Dorcas become free.
The first four church buildings also served as Dorchester's town hall. The fifth building, built in 1816, hosted many important social justice leaders. People like William Lloyd Garrison and Theodore Parker spoke there. This was because First Parish's minister, Reverend Nathaniel Hall, strongly supported ending slavery. In the 1880s, the ministers Christopher R. Eliot and T.J. Volentine inspired church members to start the Fields Corner Industrial School for local children. This school later became Dorchester House, a health center that offers many services.
Modern Community Support
Today, First Parish is still a vital resource for the many different people living in Dorchester. This includes Vietnamese, African-American, Caribbean, Irish, Latino, Haitian, and Cape Verdean residents. The church staff works with teachers, health care providers, and other local groups. They work together to help with problems like hunger, violence, racism, and poverty.
Important People from First Parish
Over its 391-year history, many people connected to First Parish have made a lasting impact on their communities.
Some notable leaders include:
- Reverend John Maverick (1630 – 1635)
- Reverend Richard Mather (1636 – 1669)
- Reverend Thaddeus Mason Harris (1793 – 1836)
- Reverend Samuel J. Barrows (1876 – 1880)
- Caroline S. Callendar, who helped start the Fields Corner Industrial School.
- Abigail Adams Eliot, a pioneer in creating nursery schools.
- Emily A. Fifield, the second woman ever elected to the School Committee.
The Meetinghouse Building
The First Parish Church in Dorchester is the sixth church building built by the congregation since 1630. It is the fifth building to stand in this exact spot on Meetinghouse Hill since 1673. This church is the only example in Boston of Colonial Revival architecture. This style looks like the traditional wooden meetinghouses found in New England.
Rebuilding the Church
When the fifth building burned down in February 1896, church members quickly decided to rebuild. Just 11 days after the fire, they voted to build a new church that looked "substantially upon the lines as to the exterior as it was before." When the sixth building was dedicated in May 1897, the building committee chairman explained why. He said the vote showed what both church members and many others wanted. Many people could trace their family history back to the old meetinghouse or earlier ones.
So, the goal was to make a more balanced and pleasing building. But they also wanted to keep the best parts of the old colonial style. This way, they could continue the ideas that came with the ship 'Mary & John' in 1630. Many descendants of the first Puritans still lived in Dorchester and were church members. Their wishes likely influenced the decision to make the new building look like the old one.
However, the members didn't let old memories stop them from making improvements. They soon voted to tear down a smaller building that survived the fire. This allowed them to create a larger Parish hall. In 1913, they expanded the building again to add a stage. This was to host activities that would attract younger people and help the church grow. The new building was designed to hold many people for different activities. Church records often show how much they cared about serving the community's social, spiritual, and economic needs.
Architects and Design
The original architects were Arthur Greene Everett and Samuel W. Mead. Their firm, Cabot, Everett & Mead, designed buildings for important people and groups. Everett and Mead had connections to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Mead taught classes there, and Everett was a graduate. Mead also studied in Europe. For a church with such deep roots in Boston's history, the architects' background was very important. Their design helped the church succeed in building a near-copy of the fifth building.
Later changes to the church were also made by other famous Boston architects, who also had MIT connections. In 1909, Mr. Everett worked with Arthur Asahel Shurtleff on a landscaping project. They designed and installed the cast-iron fence and memorial gates you see today. Shurtleff helped create the first four-year landscape architecture program in the country at Harvard University. In 1913, architect Edwin J. Lewis Jr. oversaw changes to the Parish hall. These changes added more meeting and entertainment spaces for the church and community. Lewis was also a member and leader of the church. He offered his services at a lower cost for these projects. He even donated the organ chimes in 1925.
The current church members are very aware of their church's long history. They signed an agreement with the Massachusetts Historical Commission. This agreement helps make sure that their efforts to preserve the church are protected. It also ensures that future changes will respect the building's history while still serving the community.
