First Parish Congregational Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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First Parish Congregational Church
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | 116 Main Street, Yarmouth, Maine |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1867 |
| Architect | George M. Harding; Charles Humphrey |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 95000728 |
| Added to NRHP | June 20, 1995 |
The First Parish Congregational Church is a very old and important church building in Yarmouth, Maine. It is located at 116 Main Street. The church community, called a congregation, started way back in 1730. This makes it one of the first churches ever built in what we now call Maine. The building you see today was built between 1867 and 1868. It was designed by a famous architect named George M. Harding. This church is special because it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995. This means it is recognized as an important historical place in the United States. Today, the church is part of the United Church of Christ.
About the Church Building
The First Parish Congregational Church in Yarmouth is found just east of the town center. It stands on the south side of Main Street, which is also Maine State Route 115.
What it Looks Like
This church is a tall building made of wood. It has a pointed roof and its outside walls are covered with clapboard and smooth wooden siding. The bottom part of the church sits on a strong granite foundation.
A square tower sticks out a little from the front of the church. In front of the tower, there's an entrance area with a pointed roof. This entrance has two doorways. Each doorway has thin columns next to it and is shaped like a round arch. Above these doors, there is a large window made of three parts, also shaped like round arches.
The tower itself has four levels and is decorated with many fancy details. It has an open section where bells would hang, called a belfry. On top of the tower is an eight-sided spire that points towards the sky.
A Look Back in Time
The First Parish congregation began in 1730. Their very first meeting place was a building known as the Meetinghouse under the Ledge. This was about one mile (1.6 kilometers) south of where the current church stands.
In 1818, the congregation moved to a new building. This building was called the Old Sloop and was located right across the street from the current church. After the congregation moved into their new church in 1868, the Old Sloop building was used as a public hall. It was eventually taken down in 1879. The new church building cost $35,000 to build.
The church was designed by George M. Harding, an architect from Portland. He was one of Maine's most important architects in the middle of the 1800s. This church is one of only three church designs by him that are still standing in Maine today.
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The Old Sloop building in the early 1800s.
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A view of the front and right sides of the church.
See also
