First Parish Meetinghouse (Standish, Maine) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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First Parish Meetinghouse
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First Parish Meetinghouse
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | Oak Hill Rd., Standish, Maine |
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| Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Built | 1804 |
| NRHP reference No. | 75000204 |
| Added to NRHP | March 27, 1975 |
The First Parish Meetinghouse, also known as the Old Red Church, is a very old and important building in Standish, Maine. It was built a long time ago, between 1804 and 1806. This church is a great example of buildings from the Federal period in rural areas. Over the years, it has been used as a church and even a school. People still use it sometimes for religious services today. Because of its history, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.
Contents
Discovering the Old Red Church
The Old Red Church stands in the main part of Standish. You can find it on the northeast side of Oak Hill Road. It's a two-story building made of wood. It has a pointed roof that faces the front. The outside is covered with clapboard siding, which are long, thin boards. The building sits on a strong stone foundation.
What the Church Looks Like
The front of the church faces the street and looks very balanced. It has two main doors placed far apart. On either side of these doors are tall windows. More windows are located right above them on the second floor. The main roof section has a triangular shape called a pediment. In the middle of this triangle, there is a special fan-shaped vent.
On top of the church, there is a two-part square tower. The top part of the tower is open. This open area is called a belfry, where church bells would hang. At the very top, there is a railing with decorative posts.
Inside the Historic Building
When the church was first built, it had a large open space inside. This space was two stories tall. There was also a balcony, or gallery, around part of the second floor. In 1848, the second floor was fully built out. This change happened when the building started to be used for education.
Even with these changes, some original parts are still there. On the first floor, you can still see the original box pews. These are like small, enclosed seating areas. The original pulpit, where the preacher would stand, is also still in place.
A Building with Many Lives
The church was built between 1804 and 1806. The land for it was given by a reverend named Daniel Marrett. It first served a group called the Congregationalists. In 1834, the church group split. One part became Unitarian and kept the building.
The Unitarian group used the building for services until 1860. In 1848, they added the second story. This was to create space for a short-lived school called an academy. Later, in the 1890s and early 1900s, the building was used for education again. It served as the town's high school for a brief time.
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